OF  THIS  BOOK 


STATE  NORMAL  SCHOtL 

MANUAL  AUTS  AND  H«ME  ECONOMICS 

SANTA  BARIARA,  CALIFORNIA 


WOOD  TURNING 

PREPARED  FOR  THE  USE  OF  STUDENTS  IN  MANUAL  TRAINING 

HIGH   SCHOOLS,  TECHNICAL  SCHOOLS, 

AND  COLLEGES 


BY 

GEORGE  ALEXANDER   ROSS 

INSTRUCTOR    IN    WOODWORK    AND    PATTERN    MAKING,  LEWIS    INSTITUTE,  CHICAGO 


STAlt  NOtffc.      . 

:-TS  AND*Heh. 
SANTA  BARBARA,  CALIrORK1- 


GINN   AND   COMPANY 

BOSTON   •   NEW  YORK  •  CHICAGO   •   LONDON 


COPYRIGHT,  1909,  BY 
GEORGE  ALEXANDER  ROSS 


ALL    RIGHTS    RESERVED 
89.7 


gbe   fltftrnatum   grt« 

GINN  AND  COMPANY  •  PRO- 
PRIETORS •  BOSTON  •  U.S.A. 


TT 


ST..    , 
MANUAL  AfiTS  AND  H 

SANTA  BARBARA,  CALIFORNIA 


PREFACE 


The  object  of  these  pages  is  to  place  before  pupils  such  information  as  will  be 
of  practical  help  to  them  in  their  work  in  wood  .turning. 

It  has  been  the  writer's  experience  that  pupils  lose  confidence  and  become 
nervous  because  of  the  mishaps  that  are  sure  to  occur,  especially  in  attempting 
certain  forms  often  presented  early  in  courses  of  this  character ;  and  for  this  reason 
these  exercises  have  been  arranged  in  such  a  way  that  the  turning  of  beads  and 
similar  work  is  left  until  such  time  as  the  confidence  of  the  pupil  is  fully  established ; 
in  fact,  until  he  has  had  considerable  experience  on  the  lathe  in  handling  the  prin- 
cipal tools  in  connection  with  the  simpler  forms. 

The  course  and  problems  are  those  which  pupils  in  elementary  woodwork  at  the 
Lewis  Institute  are  required  to  complete  during  the  first  course  in  shop  work,  and 
are  so  arranged  that  each  successive  lesson  contains  a  new  principle  closely  related 
to  those  in  previous  exercises. 

\  The  book  is  intended  for  class  work,  and,  as  stated  elsewhere  in  this  volume, 
should  be  supplemented  by  instructions  and  demonstrations  given  by  an  instructor 
in  charge. 

This  little  work  is  sent  out  with  the  hope  that  it  may  prove  of  practical  benefit 
\  to  those  into  whose  hands  it  may  come. 

GEORGE  ALEXANDER  ROSS 

LEWIS  INSTITUTE 

CHICAGO,  ILLINOIS 


CONTENTS 

INTRODUCTORY  TEXT  PAGK 

PRIMITIVE  LATHES  AND  THEIR  DEVELOPMENT r 

THE  SPEED  LATHE  AND  ITS  PARTS 3 

THE  RULES  FOR  OBTAINING  THE  DIAMETERS  AND  SPEEDS  OF  PULLEYS 7 

MOTOR  HEAD  AND  GAP  LATHES 7 

TOOLS  USED  IN  TURNING 12 

GRINDING  AND  SHARPENING  TURNING  TOOLS 13 

THE  GOUGE 13 

THE  SKEW  CHISEL 14 

THE  ROUND-NOSE  SCRAPING  TURNING  TOOL 15 

THE  SQUARE-NOSE  SCRAPING  TOOL 15 

THE  DIAMOND-POINT  TOOL 16 

THE  CUT-OFF  OR  PARTING  TOOL 16 

THE  SIZING  TOOL 16 

TOOLS    USED    FOR    MEASURING l6 

TOOLS  USED  FOR  SHARPENING 17 

SIZES  OF  CHISELS  AND  GOUGES 17 

LATHE-TOOL  PRACTICE 

I.   CYLINDER 17 

II.   CYLINDER,  STEPPED     .    .  ^, 22 

III.  SOCKET  CHISEL  HANDLE 22 

IV.  TEAPOT  STAND 26 

V.   CANDLESTICK 27 

VI.   MALLET 34 

VII.   CANDLESTICK 36 

VIII.   NAPKIN  RINGS 36 

IX.    SMALL  Box 39 

X.   SMOKERS'  SET 41 

XL   TOWEL  RAILS .  41 

XII.   ROLLING  PIN 43 

XIII.  POTATO  MASHER 44 

XIV,  CARD  RECEIVER 44 

v 


vi  WOOD  TURNING 

SUPPLEMENTARY  EXERCISES  PAGE 

POLICEMAN'S  CLUB  (Fig.  74) 47 

INDIAN  CLUB  (Fig.  75) .- 48 

BOWL -(Fig.  76) 49 

PLATE  (Fie.  77) 50 

PICTURE  FRAME  (Fig.  78) 51 

POWDER  Box  (Fig.  79) 52 

CUP  (Fig.  80)      53 

DUMB-BELL  (Fig.  Si) 54 

GAVEL  (Fig.  82)      54 

TuRN'iNc.  TOOL  HANDLES  (Fig.  83) 55 

TOWEL  RINGS  (Fig.  84) 56 

VASE  (Fig.  85) 57 

LAMP  STANDARD  (Fig.  86) 58 

STOCKING  AND  GLOVE  DARNER  (Fig.  87) 59 

PARTED  OR  SPLIT  WORK  (Figs.  88,  89,  90,  91,  92,  93) 60 

MISCELLANEOUS  TURNED  MOLDINGS 

PLATES  I-VI 62-65 

APPENDIX 

FINISHES 67 

FILLERS 69 

STAINS 69 

ANILINE  STAINS 71 

MISCELLANEOUS  RECIPES 71 

CEMENT  WAX  USED  IN  TURNING 72 

METHODS  OF  REFINISHING  VARNISHED  SURFACES 72 

INDEX                          75 


WOOD  TURNING 


The  art  of  turning  is  one  of  the  most  ancient  of  the  handicrafts,  and  is  as 
important  as  it  is  ancient.  The  machine  on  which  the  work  is  performed  is  called 
a  lathe. 

Primitive  lathes  and  their  development.1  The  simplest  form  of  lathe  of  which 
we  have  knowledge  is  supposed  to  have  been  constructed  something  like  that 
shown  in  Fig.  i.  Two  uprights  supported  a  crosspiece  on  which  was  fastened  a 
tool  rest.  "  On  the  uprights  two  pieces  of 
iron  with  conical  points  (called  centers) 
were  placed  so  as  to  support  the  material 
which  was  to  be  "turned."  A  rotating 
motion  was  transmitted  to  the  material  by 
means  of  a  cord  wound  around  the  piece 
and  held  tight  by  means  of  the  bow  shown 
in  the  figure. 

By  holding  the  bow  in  the  left  hand 
and  applying  a  reciprocating  motion  to 
it,  the  material  was  made  to  rotate  first 
in  one  direction,  then  in  another.  The  tool 
was  held  in  the  right  hand  and  applied 
to  the  material  as  it  revolved  toward 
the  workman,  then  slightly  withdrawn  as 
it  turned  in  the  opposite  direction. 

This  method  of  turning  is  used  at  the  present  day  in  Eastern  countries.  The 
workman  sits  on  the  ground  and  holds  the  tools  with  his  toes.  This  allows  him  free 
use  of  his  hands  in  applying  motion  to  the  material. 

A  slight  improvement  in  the  machine  is  shown  in  Fig.  2.  By  depressing  the 
treadle  which  pulls  down  the  cord,  the  wood  is  made  to  rotate  towards  the  tool  in 

1  Suggestions  for  primitive  lathes  from  old  print ;  author  unknown. 
I 


FIG.  i 


WOOD  TURNING 


FIG.  2 

the  direction  in  which  the  cutting  is  done  ;  and  when  the  pressure  is  removed,  the 
elasticity  of  the  bow  pulls  the  cord  and  treadle  upward,  ready  to  be  depressed  by 
the  operator's  foot.  With  this  arrange- 
ment the  operator  was  able  to  stand  at 
his  work,  using  his  foot  to  give  the  arti- 
cle motion,  thus  allowing  him  the  use  of 
both  hands  to  manipulate  the  tools. 

In  both  the  machines  shown  the  driv- 
ing cord  was  wound  around  the  work 
itself.  This  made  it  necessary  that  the 
material  be  much  longer  than  the  article 
to  be  turned.  Moreover,  in  such  a  machine 
there  would  be  danger  of  breaking  the 
wood  (if  it  were  small  and  slender)  by  the 
continued  up-and-down  pull  of  the  cord. 

Another  step  in  the  improvement  of  the  ^^ 

lathe  is  shown  in  Fig.  3.    The  inconven- 
ience arising  when  the  cord  was  wound  around  the  work  doubtless  led   to  the 
application  of  the  pulley  to  rotate  the  material.    The  principle  is  the  same  as  in 


THE   SPEED   LATHE  AND   ITS   PARTS 


the  preceding  lathe.  The  motion  is  obtained  by  means  of  the  treadle  and  cord, 
but  the  cord  is, pulled  up  by  means  of  a  strong  elastic  "  lath."  From  this  lath  the 
term  "  lathe  "  is  supposed  to  be  derived. 

It  should  be  noted  that  in  these  lathes  the  arrangement  of  the  cord  was  such  that 
the  work  was  made  to  turn  toward  the  workman  on  the  downward  pull  of  the  cord. 
In  other  words,  the  power  of 
the  workman's  foot,  and  not 
the  elastic  lath,  was  used  in  the 
cutting.  The  inconvenience 
of  rotating  in  alternate  direc- 
tions led,  no  doubt,  to  the 
next  improvement  shown  in 
Fig.  4.  The  addition  of  a  fly 
wheel  in  connection  with  the 
treadle,  to  obtain  a  continuous 
rotation  in  one  direction,  en- 
abled the  workman  to  cut  con- 
tinuously from  one  end  of  the 
piece  to  the  other,  and  to 
form  hollows  and  rounds  in 
the  work  in  almost  any  con- 
ceivable design.  This  lathe 
embodies  all  the  principles  of 
the  modern  speed  lathe,  ex- 
cept that  it  is  driven  by  foot 
power  instead  of  by  steam  or 
electric  power. 


FIG.  5 


The  speed  lathe  and  its  parts.  Fig.  5  shows  a  speed  lathe  with  its  parts  in 
position.  The  names  of  the  parts  are  as  follows  :  A,  lathe  bed  ;  B,  tail  stock ; 
C,  tool  rest ;  D,  head  stock  ;  E,  belt ;  F,  shifter  ;  G,  countershaft ;  If,  cone  pulley  ; 
7,  hangers  ;  /,  line  shaft ;  K,  driving  pulley.  The  parts  not  lettered  are  the  live 
center,  dead  center,  screw-center  chuck,  bell  chuck,  and  face  plate.  (The  student 
should  know  the  name  of  each  piece  of  the  machine,  so  that  he  may  be  able  to 
adjust  it  when  told  the  name  of  the  part  to  adjust.) 


WOOD  TURNING 


The  head  stock.  A  close  study  of  the  head  stock  (Fig.  6)  will  show  that  it  is 
made  up  of  several  parts,  the  largest  piece  of  which  is  the  main  casting  A,  into 
which  the  bearings  B  are  fitted.  In  the  bearings  the  spindle  C  revolves.  It  will 


FIG.  6 

be  noticed  that  the  spindle  is  hollow.  This  allows  for  the  removal  of  the  live 
center  D,  when  the  bell  chuck  A,  screw  center  £,  or  face  plate  C  (Fig.  7)  are  to  be 
used.  The  live  center  is  removed  by  a  rod  inserted  at  the  left-hand  end.  The  face 
plate  and  chucks  are  screwed  on  to  the  spindle. 

The  cone  pulley  E  (Fig.  6)  is  fastened  to  the  spindle  by  pins  or  screws,  and  the 
adjusting  mechanism  F  adjusts  the  spindle  for  end  thrust,  so  that  when  face  plate 


FIG.  7 

or  chucks  are  used  there  will  be  no  lateral  motion  to  the  work.  The  oil  cups,  or 
holes,  are  on  top  of  the  bearings.  The  bearings  should  be  oiled  frequently  to  avoid 
"  hot  boxes." 

The  tail  stock.    The  tail  stock  also  (Fig.  8)  is  made  up  of  several  parts,  a  thor- 
ough understanding  of  whose  functions  will  save  much  trouble.    In  some  lathes 


THE   SPEED   LATHE  AND   ITS  PARTS  5 

the  casting  A  is  fastened  to  the  bed  by  means  of  a  clamp,  and  in  others  by  means 
of  a  hand  wheel.  This  is  placed  underneath  the  bed  in  such  a  manner  that  when 
the  wheel  is  turned  up  on  a  screw  provided  for  the  purpose,  the  tail  stock  will  be 
fastened  in  any  desirable  position  between  the  head  stock  and  the  end  of  the  bed. 
The  tail-stock  spindle  B  is  also  hollow,  for  two  reasons :  first,  to  give  the  screw 
C,  which  is  in  contact  with  the  nut  D,  room  to  pass  beyond  the  nut  in  order  to  move 
the  spindle  in  and  out  of  the  tail  stock  ;  and,  second,  to  allow  the  dead  center  E  to 
be  removed  when  necessary.  It  will  be  observed  that  the  end  of  the  dead  center 


FIG.  8 

projects  a  short  distance  into  the  chamber  provided  for  the  screw,  so  that  when  the 
spindle  is  drawn  into  the  tail  stock,  the  end  of  the  screw  comes  into  contact  with 
the  end  of  the  dead  center.  This  forces  the  dead  center  out  of  its  socket  and  per- 
mits the  center  to  be  removed  without  difficulty.  It  will  also  be  observed  that  if  the 
screw  does  not  enter  the  nut,  the  spindle  will  remain  stationary,  no  matter  how 
much  the  screw  may  be  turned.  In  adjusting  the  tail  stock,  therefore,  great  care 
should  be  exercised  in  turning  out  the  spindle,  so  that  the  nut  will  not  be  moved 
far  enough  to  leave  the  screw.  There  is  danger  of  bending  the  thread  of  the  nut 
or  screw  out  of  shape  in  trying  to  force  the  spindle  back  into  position.  Should  this 
be  done,  the  damage  can  be  repaired  only  by  taking  the  whole  tail  stock  apart, 


6 


WOOD  TURNING 


The  hand  wheel  F  is  used  to  turn  the  screw  in  the  spindle  ;  the  clamp  G  is  used 
to  fasten  the  spindle  in  place  when  once  set. 

On  the  side  of  the  spindle  is  a  slot  (not  shown  in  the  figure)  into  which  the  end 
of  a  pin  or  screw  projects,  to  provide  against  the  spindle's  turning  when  it  is  drawn 
in  or  out  of  the  tail  stock. 

The  tool  rest.  The  tool  rest  (Fig.  9)  is  also  made  up  of  several  pieces.  Its  func- 
tion is  to  provide  a  rest  for  tools  wrhen  the  operator  is  at  work.  The  parts  are  the 

bed  plate  A,  the  tee-socket  B,  the  clamp  C,  and 

./  -J    the  rest  D.    The  manner  in  which  the  rest  is 

fastened  to  the  bed  differs  in  different  makes 
of  lathes ;  in  some  it  is  fastened  by  a  clamp, 
sometimes  on  the  side  and  sometimes  under- 
neath ;  in  others,  by  a  hand  wheel. 

The  bed  or  shears.  The  bed  is  the  main 
casting  on  which  the  head  stock,  tail  stock,  and 
rest  are  fastened.  The  bed  is  sometimes  made 
of  wood  instead  of  iron.  The  legs  are  the  sup- 
ports on  which  the  bed  is  fastened. 

The  countershaft.  The  countershaft  is  that 
part  of  the  driving  mechanism  which  is  placed 
directly  over  the  lathe.  It  is  usually  fastened 
to  the  ceiling. 


FIG.  9 


The  parts  of  the  countershaft  are  the  hangers,  the  tight  and  loose  pulleys,  the 
cone  pulley,  the  shaft,  the  shifter  rod,  and  the  shifter,  the  end  of  which  hangs 
down  within  easy  reach  of  the  operator  (see  Fig.  5). 

The  line  shaft.  The  line  shaft  is  the  main  driving  shaft,  and  may  be  some  dis- 
tance from  the  lathe  (see  Fig.  5). 

The  belting.  The  driving  of  the  lathe  is  accomplished  by  means  of  belts,  or 
bands  of  leather,  arranged  in  the  following  manner  :  The  line  shaft  is  driven  from 
an  electric  motor  or  from  a  steam  engine  direct,  and  may  turn  at  the  rate  of  1 50 
to  400  revolutions  per  minute.  (It  has  been  determined  by  experiment  that  for 
wood  turning,  a  speed  of  300  revolutions  is  most  satisfactory.)  From  a  pulley  on 
the  line  shaft  a  belt  runs  to  the  loose  pulley  on  the  countershaft.  From  the  cone 
pulley  on  the  countershaft  a  belt  runs  to  the  cone  pulley  on  the  lathe, 


THE  DIAMETERS  AND   SPEEDS   OF  PULLEYS  7 

When  it  is  desired  to  have  the  cone  pulley  on  the  lathe  revolve,  the  shifter  is 
moved  to  one  side.  This  movement  throws  the  belt  over  on  to  the  tight  pulley  on 
the  countershaft,  and  this,  in  turn,  causes  the  cone  pulley  on  the  lathe  to  revolve. 

The  gearing  of  the  lathe.  By  this  term  is  meant  the  speed  at  which  the  lathe  is 
belted  to  give  the  desired  number  of  revolutions  per  minute.  It  will  be  observed 
from  Fig.  5  how  this  is  accomplished.  On  the  line  shaft  is  a  pulley  larger  than 
that  on  which  the  belt  runs  on  the  countershaft.  This  means  that  the  counter- 
shaft makes  a  greater  number  of  revolutions  than  the  line  shaft,  or,  in  other  words, 
the  number  of  revolutions  is  increased  by  the  belt  running  from  a  large  pulley  to  a 
smaller  one. 

The  rules  for  obtaining  the  diameters  and  speeds  of  pulleys  are  as  follows. 

1 .  TJie  diameter  and  number  of  revolutions  of  the  driver  and  diameter  of  the 
driven  being  given  to  find  its  mimbcr  of  revolutions :  Multiply  the  diameter  of  the 
driver  by  the  number  of  its  revolutions,  and  divide  the  product  by  the  diameter  of 
the  driven ;  the  quotient  will  be  the  number  of  revolutions  of  the  driven. 

2.  The  diameter  and  revolutions  of  the  driver  being  given,  to  find  the  diame- 
ter of  the  driven  that  shall  make  any  given  number  of  revolutions  in  the  same 
time :  Multiply  the  diameter  of  the  driver  by  its  number  of  revolutions,  and  divide 
the  product  by  the  number  of  revolutions  of  the  driven ;    the  quotient  will  be 
its  diameter. 

3.  To  ascertain  the  size  of  the  driver:  Multiply  the  diameter  of  the  driven  by 
the  number  of  revolutions  you  wish  it  to  make,  and  divide  the  product  by  the  revo- 
lutions of  the  driver  ;  the  quotient  will  be  the  diameter  of  the  driver. 

The  face  of  a  pulley  for  a  nonshifting  belt  should  be  round  or  crowning,  and 
for  a  shifting  belt,  straight.  (In  ordering  pulleys  the  exact  size  of  the  shaft  on 
which  they  are  to  go  should  be  given.) 

Motor  head  and  gap  lathes.  Before  passing  to  tools  and  materials  we  may 
mention  the  motor  head  and  gap  lathes,  —  lathes  that  have  appeared  on  the 
market  during  the  past  few  years. 

The  improvements  shown  in  the  speed  lathe  as  compared  with  primitive  types 
have  been  succeeded  by  a  self-contained  lathe  known  as  a  motor-head  lathe. 
This  type  of  lathe  eliminates  all  overhead  transmission  and  belts,  thus  giving  to  a 
shop  a  more  pleasing  appearance  than  belt-driven  machines  ;  also  giving  more 
light,  less  dust,  and  no  danger  from  breaking  belts  or  countershafts. 


8  WOOD  TURNING 

The  lathes  here  shown  are  the  product  of  the  Oliver  Machinery  Company  of 
Grand  Rapids,  Michigan,  and  selected  because  they  are  the  ones  with  which  the 
writer  is  most  familiar. 

In  Fig.  9  A  is  shown  a  lathe,  to  drive  which  a  belt  is  used. 

Another  feature  of  this  machine  is  the  overhanging  spindle,  which  is  used  for  large 
face-plate  work.  The  lathes  that  follow  are  the  latest  designs  of  this  type  of  machine. 


FIG.  9  A 

It  will  be  observed  from  Fig.  10  that  the  lathe  is  practically  the  same  in  all  its 
features  as  the  ordinary  belted  speed  lathe,  with  the  exception  of  the  head  stock  or 
motor  head,  the  motor  taking  the  place  of  the  cone  pulley  and  overhead  mechanism. 

This  type  of  lathe  is  so  arranged  that  fifteen  different  speeds  are  obtained ;  this 
makes  it  a  desirable  machine  in  many  ways.  The  starting  box  and  switch  fastened 
on  the  left-hand  end  of  the  bed  are  within  easy  reach  of  the  operator,  thus  making 
control  of  the  machine  a  simple  matter. 


MOTOR   HEAD   AND   GAP   LATHES 


FIG.  10 

An  improvement  on  the  above  lathe  is  shown  in  Fig.  1 1 ,  a  hand  feed  and 
compound  swivel  rest  being  features  that  are  of  great  help  in  the  production  of 
certain  kinds  of  work,  especially  in  a  pattern  shop  or  brass-turning  room. 

In  this  lathe  the  tools  are  held  rigid  in  the  tool  post,  so  that  the  manipulation 
in  cutting  is  done  by  turning  the  hand  wheels  orl  the  apron  and  cross  feed. 


IO 


WOOD  TURNING 


FIG.  ii 

In  Fig.  1 1 A  is  shown  another  type  of  lathe  which  is  a  self-contained  machine. 
From  a  study  of  the  figure  it  will  be  seen  that  the  motor  has  an  extended  armature 
shaft  on  which  a  cone  pulley  is  fastened.  From  this  cone  pulley  a  belt  is  run  up 
on  to  the  cone  in  the  head  stock,  thus  eliminating  the  countershaft  that  is  a  feature 
of  belted  lathes.  When  the  belt  is  to  be  shifted,  the  motor  is  raised  enough  to 
loosen  the  belt,  so  that  it  can  be  easily  changed. 

The  switch  block  and  rheostat  are  placed  directly  over  the  motor,  thus  in  a  meas- 
ure protecting  the  motor  from  dust.  The  controlling  lever  is  shown  just  above  the 
switch,  and  is  in  easy  reach  of  the  operator,  giving  perfect  control  of  the  machine. 

The  motor  on  this  type  of  lathe  is  arranged  for  alternating  current. 


MOTOR  HEAD  AND  GAP  LATHES 


FIG.  i i  A 

The  lathe  shown  in  Fig.  12  is  what  is  known  as  a  gap  lathe.  Possibly  there 
is  nothing  in  the  line  of  a  wood-turning  lathe  that  is  more  complete  in  itself  than 
this  machine.  It  can  be  set  up  as  a  motor-driven  lathe,  or  a  countershaft  can  be 
used  in  driving  it. 

The  predominating  feature  of  a  lathe  of  this  kind  is  the  extension  bed.  This 
bed  can  be  moved  out  to  accommodate  long  pieces  of  work  ;  the  machine  illustrated 
will  take  in  a  piece  of  material  fifteen  feet  between  centers  and  thirty  inches  in 
diameter.  The  opening  of  the  gap  is  accomplished  by  means  of  automatic  mech- 
anism. The  tail  stock  can  be  raised  or  set  over  sideways  for  service  in  taper  work. 
The  lathe  is  also  equipped  with  a  power  feed,  through  cut  gears  and  rack,  which 
can  be  used  with  the  bed  in  any  position.  The  carriage  has  also  a  hand  feed, 


12 


WOOD  TURNING 


FIG.  12 

while  the  cross  slide  carries  a  graduated  cofnpound  swivel  rest,  which  can  be  set 
at  any  angle.  The  value  of  this  in  some  kinds  of  work  cannot  be  overestimated 
when  accuracy  is  required,  and  when  the  gap  is  open  a  piece  of  work  eighty-six 
inches  in  length  and  sixty  inches  in  diameter  can  be  turned.  This  gives  some 
idea  of  the  capacity  of  a  machine  of  this  kind. 

The  makers  of  this  machine  claim  many  special  features  in  construction,  etc., 
and  pupils  studying  it  are  referred  to  trade  catalogues  for  data  on  lathes. 

Lack  of  space  compels  us  to  omit  a  description  of  what  are  known  as  copying 
lathes,  also  automatic  back  knife  lathes.  For  descriptions  of  these  machines  the 
pupil  is  again  referred  to  trade  catalogues. 

Tools  used  in  turning.  In  turning,  as  in  any  process,  there  is  always  more 
than  one  way  of  doing  a  thing,  and  it  is  often  difficult  to  decide  on  the  best  meth- 
ods of  performing  special  operations.  One  workman  may  perform  a  number  of 
operations  with  one  tool,  while  another  may  use  a  tool  for  each  operation. 

The  list  of  tools  here  given  will  be  found  satisfactory  for  ordinary  wood 
turning;  for  work  requiring  special  operations  special  tools  will  be  introduced 
and  explained. 

Measuring  tools :  a  two-foot  rule ;  a  pair  of  outside  calipers ;  a  pair  of  inside  calipers ;  a  pair 
of  compasses. 

Sharpening  tools :  an  oilstone ;  a  slip  stone ;  a  piece  of  leather  used  as  a  strop ;  an  oil  can. 

Cutting  tools:  one  f-inch  skew  chisel ;  one  ^-inch  skew  chisel ;  one  f -inch  turning  gouge; 
one  £-inch  turning  gouge ;  one  ^-inch  round-nose  scraping  tool ;  one  |-inch  square-nose  scraping 
tool ;  one  f-inch  diamond  or  spear-point  tool ;  one  jj-inch  cut-off  or  parting  tool. 

Wood  turners  often  use  what  is  known  as  a  sizing  tool.  It  is  not  a  necessity,  but  it  saves  time 
where  a  number  of  pieces  of  the  same  diameter  are  to  be  cut. 

Auxiliary  tools :  one  wooden  mallet;  one  center  punch. 


GRINDING  AND  SHARPENING  TURNING   TOOLS 


Extra  tools  for  general  use :  one  bit  brace ;  one  {-inch  drill  bit ;  one  Tsg-inch  drill  bit ;  one 
screw-driver;  one  monkey-wrench. 

Before  sharpening,  tools  are  first  ground  to  the  correct  shape  either  on  an  emery  wheel  or  on 
a  grindstone.  Hence  an  emery  wheel  or  a  grindstone  is  a  necessary  part  of  the  equipment. 

Grinding  and  sharpening  turning  tools.  The  speeds  at  which  grindstones  revolve 
vary  for  different  kinds  of  work.  For  general  tool  grinding,  handbooks  recommend 

that  a  stone  travel  between  300  and 
600  feet  per  minute.  The  writer's 
practice  has  been  to  have  the  grind- 
stone travel  at  about  425  feet  per 
minute ;  that  is,  a  grindstone  of  36 
inches  in  diameter  should  make  45 
revolutions  per  minute. 

To  determine  the  number  of  feet  which  the  circumference  of  this  stone  travels 
per  minute,  multiply  the  diameter  of  the  stone  by  the  ratio  TT  =  3.1416  ;  that  is, 
36"  x  3.1416  =  1 13.09,  or  114.  Multiply  this  product  by  the 
number  of  revolutions  (45)  which  the  stone  makes  per  minute 
and  divide  the  result  by  12  : 


114  x  45 
12 


427^  ft. 


To  grind  a  tool  the  worker  should  take  a  position  so  that  the 
grindstone  is  revolving  toward  him,  and  should  apply  the  tool  to 
the  stone  in  such  a  manner  that  the  cutting  edge  of  the  tool  will 
not  be  injured  by  the  grinding.  The  stone  may  also  be  used 
revolving  from  the  operator. 

In  Fig.  13  is  shown  the  method  to  be  followed.    Place  the  tool 
on  the  stone  as  shown  by  the  dotted  lines ;  then  draw  it  back  to 
the  position  shown  by  the  full  lines.    The  bevel  will  then  be  in 
contact  with  the  stone.    Then,  if  the  tool  be  flat  like  a  chisel,  move  it  from  side  to 
side,  as  indicated  by  the  arrow  points  in  Fig.  18.    This  applies  to  tools  in  general. 

The  gouge.  Of  all  the  tools  used  by  the  wood  turner  there  is  none  more  com- 
monly used  than  the  gouge  ;  as  the  jack  plane  is  to  the  bench  worker,  so  the  gouge 
is  to  the  wood  turner. 


WOOD  TURNING 


FIG.  15 


Before  grinding  this  tool,  notice  the  shape  it  should  have.    The  end  is  ground  in 
an  elliptical  form,  the  bevel  being  practically  a  straight  line,  as  shown  at  AB,  Fig.  14. 

To  grind  the  gouge,  apply  it  to  the 
grindstone,  following  the  general  rule 
given  ;  then  slowly  rotate  it  from  side 
to  side  until  the  end  is  the  desired  shape 
(see  Fig.  14). 

The  gouge  is  sharpened  on  the  slip 
stone.  Hold  the  gouge  in  the  left  hand 
and  the  slip  stone  in  the  right,  as  shown 
in  the  illustration,  Fig.  1 5 .  Oil  is  used 
on  the  slip  stone.  After  the  edge  on 
the  outside  of  the  gouge  has  been 
rubbed  enough,  apply  the  round  edge 
of  the  slip  to  the  inner  or  concave  side,  taking  care  that  the  slip  is  in  contact  with 
the  gouge  the  whole  length  of  the  slip.  Remove  the  wire  edge  by  rubbing  with 
the  slip  stone  and  leather  strop. 

The  skew  chisel.  The  skew  chisel  is  a  tool  commonly  used  to  finish  straight- 
lined  work,  such  as  the  sides  and  ends  of  cylinders  and  cones,  and  in  making  beads 
and  long  convex  curves.  By  referring  to  Fig.  16  it 
will  be  seen  that  the  end  is  not  a  right  angle,  as  is 
the  case  with  the  carpenter's  chisel,  but  is  beveled 
or  "  skewed."  This  beveled  or  skewed  end  is  made 
so  that  the  operator  will  have  better  control  of  the 
cutting  edge.  If  it  were  at  right  angles,  he  would 
have  to  swing  the  handle  so  far  to  the  side  that  it 
would  be  rather  difficult  to  obtain  a  perfectly  straight 
cut.  As  will  be  seen  from  Fig.  16,  the  chisel  is 
ground  on  both  sides,  bringing  the  cutting  edge  into 
the  center  of  the  blade.  If  the  tool  is  ground  un- 
evenly, as  indicated  by  Fig.  1 7,  it  will  be  much  more 
difficult  to  control.  The  tool  is  guided  more  by  the 
side  of  the  blade  than  by  its  edge  ;  therefore,  if  the  cutting  edge  is  parallel  with  its 
sides,  as  in  Fig.  16,  the  angle  at  which  the  tool  is  held  for  any  cut  is  easily  judged 


FIG.  17 


GRINDING  AND   SHARPENING  TURNING  TOOLS 


by  the  side  of  the  blade,  whereas  if  the  edge  is  unevenly  ground,  the  angle  at 
which  it  must  be  held  can  only  be  determined  by  experimentation. 

Fig.  1 8  shows  the  position  of  the  chisel  on  the  grindstone.    Apply  the  tool  to 
the  stone  by  the  general  rule  given  for  grinding  (page  1 3),  and  move  it  from  side 


\ 


FIG.  1 8 


FIG.  19 


FIG.  20 


to  side  of  the  stone,  as  indicated  by  the  arrow  points.  The  angle,  or  skew,  at  which 
to  grind  the  end  should  be  about  75°  (see  Fig.  16).  The  skew  is  sharpened  on  the 
oilstone.  The  bevel  should  be  held  flat  on  the  stone,  first  on  one  side  and  then  on 
the  other,  until  the  wire  edge  is  removed.  By  continued  sharpen- 
ing the  chisel  becomes  rounded,  as  shown  by  Fig.  19,  and  must  be 
ground  again.  Time  is  saved  by  grinding  and  sharpening  promptly. 
Tools  will  cut  faster  and  smoother  when  the  cutting  edges  are  "  keen 
and  sharp  "  than  when  "  blunt  and  dull." 

The  round-nose  scraping  tool.  This  tool,  shown  in  Fig.  20,  is  used 
(as  its  name  implies)  to  cut  by  scraping  rather  than  by  paring.  It  is 
used  on  fillets  and  concave  surfaces.  The  method  of  scraping  is 
given  on  page  26.  Sharpen  the  tool  on  the  large  oilstone,  revolving 
it  in  the  same  manner  as  a  gouge ;  turn,  and  keep  the  flat  side  of 
the  tool  in  contact  with  the  stone.  Grind  it  as  you  would  the  gouge. 

The  square-nose  scraping  tool.  This  tool  (see  Fig.  21)  is,  used  in 
the  same  manner  as  the  round-nose  scraping  tool,  and  is  applied  on  straight  and 
convex  surfaces.  Sharpen  it  on  the  large  oilstone,  just  as  you  would  sharpen  an 
ordinary  bench  chisel. 


i6 


WOOD  TURNING 


The  diamond-point  tool.  This  tool,  sometimes  named  a  "  spear-point "  or  a 
"  right-and-left "  tool,  is  used  on  inside  work  or  on  work  where  the  ordinary  skew 
chisel  could  not  be  used  to  advantage.  Fig.  22  shows  the  general  shape  it  should 

have,  but  the  angle  can  be  changed  to 
suit  special  work.  Grind  the  bevels  as 
shown  in  figure ;  sharpen  on  a  slip 
stone. 

The  cut-off  or  parting  tool.  Fig.  23 
shows  this  tool ;  as  its  name  implies, 
it  is  used  to  cut  off  work  where 


A 


FIG.  22 


FIG. 


another  tool  could  not  be  used  to  advantage.  It  is  also  used  for  "sizing"  work 
(see  Fig.  44  B  as  an  example  of  its  application  in  sizing).  Grind  to  the  shape  shown 
in  Fig.  23  and  sharpen  on  the  oilstone. 

The  sizing  tool.  The  sizing  tool  (Fig. 
24)  is  used  on  work  where  a  number  of 
pieces  are  to  be  of  the  same  diameter,  as, 
for  instance,  the  dowels  on  the  ends  of 
spindles,  and  the  ends  of  chisel  handles 
where  ferrules  are  to  be  used.  Grind  and 
sharpen,  the  same  as  the  cut-off  tool. 

Tools  used  for  measuring.  The  calipers. 
The  outside  calipers  (Fig.  25)  are  used  to 
measure  the  outside  diameters ;  the  in- 
side calipers  (Fig.  26)  are  used  for  inside 
diameters  of  rings,  holes,  etc. 

The  rule.    A  two-foot  folding  rule,  graduated  to  sixteenths,  makes  a  serviceable 
tool  for  measuring. 

The  dividers.    The  dividers  (Fig.  27)  are  used  in  many  ways.    Their  application 
in  measuring  will  be  given  with  the  problems  with  which  they  are  to  be  used. 


FIG.  25 


FIG.  26 


TO  TURN  A  CYLINDER 


Tools  used  for  sharpening.    The  slip  stone.  The  slip  stone  (Fig.  28)  is  used  to 
sharpen  gouges  and  tools  that  are  curved  in  their  section. 

The  oilstone.  Oilstones  are  either  natural  or  artificial.  The 
so-called  India  oilstone  is  preferable  for  ordinary  sharpening. 
Use  oil  on  any  stone  when  sharpening  a  tool. 

The  strop.  The  strop  is  a  piece  of  leather  cut  into  such  shape 
as  to  conform  on  its  edge  to  the  curve  of  a  gouge.  The  side  of 
the  strop  is  used  for  tools  that  are  flat  or  straight  on  the  edge. 

Sizes  of  chisels  and  gouges. 
The  size  of  a  gouge  or  chisel 
is  determined 


by  its  width. 


FIG.  28 


Turning  chisels  and  gouges 

come  in  sizes  ranging  by  eighths,  from  one  eighth  of  an  inch 

up  to  two  and  one-half  inches. 

Lathe-tool  practice.1    The   art  of  wood  turning  cannot   be 

learned  from  a  book,  but  book  instruction,  supplemented  by 
practice  under  the  guidance  of  an  instructor,  will  quickly  enable  the  careful  student 
to  do  good  work.  The  exercises  that  follow  are  intended  to  teach  the  art  of  wood 
turning  through  various  operations  on  the  speed  lathe. 


EXERCISE  I.    TO  TURN  A  CYLINDER 
Material :  Gum  wood,  whitewood,  pine 


\ 


LIVE  CENTER  END 


DEAD  CENTER  END 
FIG.  29 


No  simpler  form  can  be  turned  than  that  shown  in  Fig.  29.    It  is  a  plain  cylin- 
der, the  dimensions  of  which,  when  finished,  are  5"  X  if". 
1  Read  instructions  before  beginning  any  work. 


i8 


WOOD  TURNING 


Turning  makes  use  of  two  methods  of  cutting;  namely,  "paring"  and  "scraping." 
The  student  should  give  close  attention  to  each  method  as  it  is  applied  in  the  vari- 
ous exercises,  so  that  he  may  come  to  know  which  method  is  the  better  one  to  use 

on  a  given  piece  of  work. 

To  turn  the  cylinder.  The  rough 
stock  will  be  2"  x  2"x6",  and  square 
on  the  ends  ;  by  drawing  the  diagonals 
as  in  Fig.  30,  the  center  of  the  piece 
will  be  found  at  the  intersection  of  the 
lines.  Take  a  center  punch  or  some 
suitable  tool,  and  mark  the  centers  ; 
then  mount  the  work  on  the  lathe. 

To  mount  the  '<.vork.  Place  the  point  of  the*live  center  in  the  punch  mark  at  one 
end ;  then  push  the  tail  stock  up  toward  the  work  until  the  point  of  the  dead  cen- 
ter is  in  the  punch  mark  at  the  other  end.  Clamp  the  tail  stock  to  the  bed.  Force 
the  centers  into  the  work  by  turning  the  hand  wheel  on  the  tail  stock  ;  then  loosen 
up  the  dead  center  until  the  cone  pulley  and  the  piece  of  stock  revolve  freely. 
Then  set  the  tool  rest  and  clamp  it  into  position.  Put  a  little  oil  on  the  dead  cen- 
ter, and  everything  will  be  ready  for  the  cutting.  For  the  paring  cut,  the  tool 
rest  should  be  set  as 
shown  at  A,  Fig.  31,  and 
for  the  scraping  cut,  as 
at  B,  Fig.  3 1 . 

The  necessary  steps  to 
take  in  working  out  this 
exercise  are  shown  in 
Fig-  32. 

The  first  operation  in 
turning  is  called  "  roughing  down."  This  is  done  by  using  the  gouge. 

To  use  the  gouge,  notice  the  method  of  holding  it,  as  shown  in  Fig.  33.  The 
left  hand,  back  up,  is  placed  on  top  of  the  gouge,  which  is  held  by  the  third  and 
little  fingers ;  the  right  hand  is  at  the  end  of  the  handle ;  the  elbows  are  kept  as 
close  to  the  operator's  sides  as  possible.  The  tool  is  now  laid  on  the  rest,  the  fleshy 
part  of  the  hand  touching  the  rest.  The  body  is  as  nearly  "  square  on  "  to  the  lathe 


FIG.  31 


TO  TURN  A  CYLINDER 


as  it  is  possible  to  be,  and  still  have  a  natural  position  when  at  work ;  it  leans 
slightly  forward,  with  the  legs  slightly  apart  and  the  left  foot  a  little  advanced. 
Commence  cutting  at 
the  right-hand  or  dead- 
center  end  of  the  piece, 
and  make  the  cut  by 
raising  the  handle  of 
the  gouge  with  the  right 
hand.  This  will  cause 
the  cutting  edge  of  the 
gouge  to  go  down  into 
the  work  (see  Fig.  34). 
By  repeating  the  opera- 
tion until  the  other  end 
is  reached,  the  corners 
will  be  cut  off.  A 
straight  sweep  can  now 
be  made  from  end  to 
end  by  holding  the  gouge  steady  and  swaying  the  body  and  hands.  Do  not  twist 
the  body  or  try  to  cut  by  moving  the  hands  alone.  Take  one  or  two  sweeping 
cuts  ;  then  try  for  dimensions  with  the  calipers  (see  Fig.  35).  Leave  enough  for 
the  paring,  or  finishing,  cut. 


FIG.  33 


FIG.  34 


The  paring  cut,  or  finishing  cut,  is  made  with  the  skew  chisel.  This  cut  is  prob- 
ably the  most  difficult  of  all  for  the  beginner  to  learn,  but  when  it  is  learned  the 
greatest  difficulty  in  turning  has  been  overcome.  The  skew  chisel  is  held  in  the 


2O 


WOOD  TURNING 


same  manner  as  the  gouge  (see  Fig.  33).  In  applying  it,  hold  the  bevel  on  the 
work,  as  shown  in  Fig.  36,  the  cutting  edge  held  oblique  to  the  axis  of  the  work. 
The  long  or  acute  point  must  be  kept  clear  of  the  work,  and  the  short  side  of  the 

chisel  should  be  in  contact  with  the  rest. 

The  angle  at  which  the  chisel  is  held  to 


FIG.  35 


FIG.  36 


the  axis  of  the  lathe  depends  on  three  things  :  first,  the  amount  of  skew,  or  bevel, 

the  chisel  is  ground  at ;  second,  the  height  of  the  operator ;  third,  the  adjustment 

of  the  rest  on  the  lathe. 

As  stated  before,  the  angle  of  the  acute  point  of  the  chisel  should  be  about  75°  ; 

the  adjustment  of  the  rest  is  made  by  the  student  to  suit  his  own  height. 

In  Fig.  36  is  shown  a  general  view  of  the  method  of  holding  the  skew ;   if  a 

student  will  take  a  jackknife  and 
a  soft  piece  of  wood  and  begin  to 
whittle  it,  he  will  observe  that 
rarely  does  he  hold  the  cutting 
edge  of  the  knife  at  right  angles 
to  the  piece,  but  obliquely,  as  in 
Fig.  37.  Now  compare  the  posi- 
tion of  the  edge  of  the  knife  with 
that  of  the  edge  of  the  skew 
chisel  on  the  work,  and  it  will  be 
found  that  the  edges  of  the  two 

tools  are  held  practically  in  the  same  position.    In  one  case  the  material  is  held 

in  the  hand  and  the  tool  (knife)  moves,  while  in  the  other  case  the  material  moves 

and  the  tool  (chisel)  is  held  steady  in  the  hand. 


FIG.  37 


TO  TURN  A  CYLINDER 


21 


For  paring  we  repeat  that  the  rest  should  be  raised  above  the  center,  as  shown 
in  A,  Fig.  3 1  ;  and  for  scraping,  it  should  be  set  as  shown  in  £,  Fig.  3 1 .    Keep  the 

eyes  on  the  work  rather  than  on  the  cut- 
ting edge  of  the  tool,  make  the  sweeping 
cut  as  explained  on  page  19  in  connec- 
tion with  the  gouge,  and  hold  the  calipers 
as  shown  in  Fig.  35  when  trying  for  di- 
mensions. Work  from  the  center  of  the 
piece  toward  the  ends,  rather  than  from 
the  ends  toward  the  center.  See  that  the 
dimensions  are  correct  for  diameter. 

To  cut  the  ends,  use  the  long  point  of 
the  chisel.  The  cutting  might  be  termed  "slicing,"  for  in  paring  the  end  wood  a 
light  cut  is  made  so  that  the  work  will  be  smooth,  and  that  the  point  of  the  tool 
will  not  be  "  burned,"  or  have  the  "  temper  "  drawn  by  the  excessive  friction  caused 
by  a  deep  or  heavy  cut.  Finish  the  dead-center  end  first ;  then  measure  the  length 
from  this,  using  a  pencil  and  rule  or  a  pair  of  compasses.  Fig.  38  illustrates  the 

method  of  holding  the  chisel  for  the  cut 
at  the  right-hand  or  dead-center  end. 


FIG.  38 


FIG.  39 


FIG.  40 


The  piece  should  be  cut  far  enough  in  from  the  end  so  that  the  "  center  marks  " 
shall  not  be  on  the  finished  work.  Fig.  39  indicates  the  motion  the  chisel  should 
have  in  making  the  end  cut.  At  the  left  hand  (the  live-center  end)  the  cutting 
should  be  done  as  indicated  in  Fig.  40. 

After  the  ends  are  finished  and  the  cylinder  is  cut  to  the  correct  length,  remove 
from  the  lathe  and  saw  off  the  surplus  material  at  the  bench.1 

1  No  sandpaper  is  to  be  used,  unless  specified  for  given  exercises. 


22 


WOOD  TURNING 


EXERCISE  II.    TO  TURN  A  STEPPED  CYLINDER 
Material :  Gum  wood,  whitewood,  pine 

This  exercise  begins  in  the  same  manner  as  the  first  one ;  the  necessary  steps 
to  take  in  working  this  out  are  shown  in  Fig.  42.  After  the  piece  is  turned  to  a 
cylinder  and  marked  with  the  dividers,  as  at  C,  Fig.  42,  proceed  to  cut  off  the  sur- 
plus stock  with  the  gouge,  as  indicated  by  dotted  lines  at  C  in  Fig.  42.  Then,  pare 
to  dimensions  given  in  the  working  drawing  (Fig.  41).  (Care  should  be  taken  in 


1 

n 

-!* 

-4— 

i 

•oit- 

1 

-  t 

M>  + 

1 

1 

i 

FIG.  41 

cutting  the  ends.  Do  not  cut  to  the  line  at  first  when  cutting  with  the  skew  chisel, 
but  leave  a  little  to  make  a  finishing  cut.)  The  method  of  cutting  the  ends  is  the 
same  as  shown  in  Figs.  39  and  40. 

The  end  steps  of  the  cylinder  are  now  marked  and  pared  off  as  in  E  and  Fy 
Fig.  42  ;  the  final  cutting  in  the  lathe  is  as  shown  at  G,  Fig.  42.  Saw  off  the  live- 
center  and  dead-center  ends  and  finish  at  the  bench. 


EXERCISE  III.    SOCKET  CHISEL  HANDLE 
Material :  Apple  wood,  hickory 

All  work  turned  on  the  lathe  on  centers  is  commenced  in  the  same  manner  as 
in  Exercises  I  and  II.  It  will  be  unnecessary  in  this  manual  hereafter  to  repeat 
the  preliminary  operation  for  mounting  the  work  on  centers  on  the  lathe,  roughing 
down,  etc. 

In  Fig.  43  is  shown  the  working  drawing.  In  procuring  the  stock  have  it  a 
little  longer  than  the  finished  exercise,  and  before  commencing  the  work  lay  out 
your  plan  of  procedure. 


SOCKET  CHISEL  HANDLE 


As  the  chisel  handle  is 
intended  for  a  socket  chisel, 
it  would  be  advisable  to 
have  a  chisel  in  which  to 
fit  the  end,  since  all  chisels 
are  not  of  the  same  taper. 
If  the  chisel  is  not  at  hand, 
and  the  handle  is  to  be 
used  later,  leave  the  live- 
center  end  on  the  handle, 
so  that  it  can  be  replaced  in 
the  lathe  and  fitted  into  the 
chisel.  The  dead-center 
end  will  not  be  cut  as  in 
Exercises  I  and  II,  but  this 
end  of  the  piece  will  be  the 
point  to  measure  from. 

The  operation,  after  the 
piece  is  turned  to  a  cylinder, 
will  be  understood  from 
Fig.  44  A  and  Fig.  44  B. 
This  is  known  as  "sizing." 
Take  the  cut-off  tool  and 
size  the  several  diameters, 
as  shown  in  the  illustration ; 
then  finish  the  outline  of 
the  handle  with  the  gouge 
and  chisel.  Finish  the  work 
with  sandpaper.  In  using 
sandpaper  care  should  be 
taken  not  to  cut  away  sharp 
corners.  Hold  the  sand- 
paper (after  folding  it  in  a  narrow  strip)  on  the  work  by  the  index  and  middle  fingers 
and  keep  it  moving  back  and  forth ;  the  quicker  the  motion  the  better,  as  then  no 


33- 


WOOD  TURNING 


U-.-J 


FIG.  43 

rings  will  be  left  in  the  work.  Use  No.  I  \  sandpaper  at  first,  then  No.  |  or  No.  o. 
After  the  work  is  sandpapered  sufficiently,  apply  a  coat  of  shellac  varnish,  brushing 
it  on  while  the  lathe  is  at  rest.  Then  take  a  dry  cloth,  start  the  lathe,  and  wipe 


FIG.  44  A 

off  the  surplus  shellac.    Care  should  be  taken  that  the  cloth  does  not  stick  and  get 
wound  on  to  the  work.    Fig.  45  illustrates  the  method  of  using  the  cloth. 


FIG.  44 


FIG.  45 


This  method  of  finishing  gives  fairly  good  results,  but  it  is  not  intended  to 
imply  that  this  is  the  only  method  of  finishing.    Other  methods  will  be  given  later. 


SOCKET  CHISEL  HANDLE  25 

IDET-AD   <tENTER    END 


•  I  DEAD  Cl 


FIG.  46 


1, 

61" 

NF 

1 

'•*  t 

1       !  1 

-«  = 

\J 

V 

FIG.  47 

When  a  number  of  handles  are  to  be  turned,  time  will  be  saved  by  making  a 
templet  such  as  is  shown  in  Fig.  46.  The  several  diameters  are  cut  on  one  edge 
of  a  piece  of  thin  sheet  iron,  and  notches  are  filed  on  the  other  edge  to  locate 
the  positions  to  be  cut  while  sizing. 


26 


WOOD  TURNING 


FIG.  48 


EXERCISE  IV.   TEAPOT  STAND 

Material :   Oak,  mahogany,  cherry,  ash,  or  any  hard  wood  that  will  finish  well 

In  Fig.  47  is  shown  the  working  drawing  for  this  piece  of  work.    The  methods 
used  are  applicable  on  such  work  as  rosettes  and  similar  pieces. 

The  previous  exercises  were  turned  on  the  centers,  that  is,  the  piece  was  sup- 
ported on  the  lathe  by  the  live  center  and  dead  center.    In  the  present  exercise  the 

screw-center  chuck  B,  Fig.  7,  is  used.   The  method 
of  cutting  is  termed  "  scraping." 

The  scraping  cut.  This  cut  is  made  by  laying 
the  chisel  flat  on  the  rest  instead  of  tilting  it  up, 
as  in  the  paring  cut.  The  chisel  should  be  kept 
sharp  and  the  scraping  or  cutting  should  be  done 
lightly  in  order  to  obtain  a  smooth  surface.  To 
fix  the  rest  for  this  piece  and  to  turn  the  disk, 
see  the  illustrations,  Figs.  48  and  49.  These 
illustrations  show  the  piece  with  the  corners  cut 
off,  the  rest  set  across  the  face,  and  the  skew  chisel  in  position  for  cutting  off 
the  corners  and  squaring  up  the  edge. 

The  diameter  of  the  disk  can  be  measured  off  with  the  compasses.  Start  the  lathe  ; 
set  the  compasses  to  the  radius  and 
place  one  point  on  the  center  of  the 
piece,  bringing  the  other  point  down 
on  the  rest  and  pushing  it  against 
the  face  of  the  piece.  The  line  will 
be  marked  while  the  piece  is  re- 
volving. 

The  back  corner  of  the  piece  is 
liable  to  split  off  if  the  chisel  is 
pushed  all  the  way  across,  so  that 
about  \  of  an  inch  should  be  left  uncut ;  then  set  the  rest  across  the  edge 
(see  Fig.  49),  cut  off  the  material  with  the  gouge,  and  scrape  smooth  with  the 
skew  chisel. 


FIG.  49 


CANDLESTICK 


When  the  piece  is  turned  to  diameter  "face  it  off,"  that  is,  smooth  the  side 
by  using  the  skew  chisel.  (The  rest  should  be  set  across  the  face.)  Move  the  chisel 
from  the  edge  in  toward  the  center,  and  back  again  toward  the  edge.  A  "  straight 
edge  "  should  be  used  to  test  the  work  for  "  trueness." 

To  turn  the  molding  on  the  edge,  use  the  round-nose  scraping  tool  for  the  con- 
cave curve  and  the  square-nose  or  skew  chisel  for  the  convex  curve.  When  all  the 
cutting  is  done,  finish  the  piece  with  sandpaper ;  then  apply  a  coat  of  wood  filler 
(see  note  on  wood  filler  in  Appendix),  let  it  set  a  few  minutes,  and  then  wipe  it  off 
with  waste  or  excelsior ;  let  the  filler  harden,  and  the  work  will  be  ready  for  polish- 
ing. To  polish,  use  a  rag  on  which  are  a  few  drops  of  linseed  oil  and  shellac,  and 
apply  while  the  work  revolves  on  the  lathe.  Be  careful  not  to  get  too  much  oil  or 
shellac  on  the  work.  If  too  much  shellac  is  used  the  work  will  appear  smeary,  and 
if  too  much  oil  is  used  it  will  appear  greasy. 

EXERCISE  V.    CANDLESTICK 

(TEMPLET  AND  CHUCKING  EXERCISE) 

Material :  Whitewood,  birch 

From  the  illustration,  Fig.  50,  we  see  that  there  are  two  pieces  to  be  turned  for 
this  article.  The  up- 
right (Fig.  51),  which 
is  turned  first,  is 
mounted  on  the  lathe 
on  "  centers."  The 
cutting  of  this  piece 
will  be  paring.  In 
previous  exercises  the 
method  of  paring  was 
explained  for  straight 
work  ;  in  this  exercise 
there  are  convex  and 
concave  curves  to  be 
cut.  The  method  of 
cutting  concave  curves 


WOOD  TURNING 


will  be  understood  from  the  illustration,  Fig.  52.  The  necessary  steps  in  working  out 
this  part  of  the  exercise  are  shown  in  Fig.  53.  To  cut  the  concave  curves,  use  the 
small  gouge  and  cut,  as  shown  in  Fig.  5  2,  which  shows  three  positions.  Make  a  clean, 
smooth  cut.  For  the  convex  curve  use  the  small  skew  chisel.  (See  Fig.  54,  which 
shows  the  method  of  cutting.)  It  would  be  advisable  for  the  student  to  practice 
cutting  the  curves  on  a  waste  piece  of  stock  before  trying  the  exercise.  In  cutting 
the  curves  swing  the  handle  of  the  chisel  or  gouge  with  a  full  movement.  Notice 
that  if  the  tools  slip  and  dig  into  the  work,  it  is  due  to  the  fact  that  they  are  held 
in  one  direction  while  the  student  is  trying  to  make  them  cut  in  another.  Make 


N'-^'f /l1 

i  i 


TJ 

•OiB 

1  1 

"•oil- 

i 

i 

FIG.  51 

the  direction  of  the  tools  correspond  with  the  direction  of  the  cut.  The  hole  in  the 
end  is  turned  after  the  piece  has  been  fastened  with  glue  into  the  base. 

To  turn  the  base  (Fig.  55)  a  face  plate  (see  C,  Fig.  7)  is  required,  and  as  no 
screw  holes  are  to  be  left  in  the  work  when  finished,  a  study  of  the  method  of 
operations  is  necessary. 

The  stock  from  which  the  base  is  turned  is  fastened  with  screws  to  the  face  plate  ; 
the  side  nearest  the  face  plate  will  be  the  top  or  upper  side  when  the  piece  is  fin- 
ished, so  that  the  bottom  side  of  the  piece  will  be  turned  first.  The  edge  is  cut  in 
the  same  way  as  explained  in  Exercise  IV. 

In  order  that  the  wall  may  be  of  equal  thickness,  "  templets  "  are  used.  A  temp- 
let is  a  form  or  pattern  cut  out  of  thin  material,  and  is  used  on  the  work  as  shown 
in  Figs.  56,  59. 


CANDLESTICK 


29 


FIG.  52 


WOOD  TURNING 


To  make  the  templets.    To  make  the  templets,  lay  them  out  as  illustrated  in 
Fig.  57.    Use  a  coping  saw  to  cut  the  two  templets  apart,  then  finish  up  to  the 

lines  by  using  a  sharp  knife.  After  the 
templets  are  cut  out  and  the  work  mounted 
on  the  lathe,  cut  the  edge  of  the  piece  to  its 
largest  diameter,  and  then  "  face  it  off,"  using 
the  large  skew  chisel  to  cut  with.  The  next 
step  would  be  to  cut  the  bottom  to  its  di- 
ameter and  depth  (see  J3y  Fig.  56),  using  the 
skew  chisel  in  cutting.  After  the  bottom 
member  has  been  cut  into  shape,  cut  the 
side,  using  the  templet  to  get  the  correct 
shape.  In  using  the  templet  notice  that 
there  are  two  points,  A  and  B,  that  are  used 
as  guides  (see  Figs.  56  and  59).  The  tools 

used  to  cut  the  side  should  be  the  round-nose  scraping  tool  and  the  skew  chisel. 
When  all  cutting  on  the  outside  is  done,  sandpaper  the  work  smooth,  and  color 
with  some  of  the  stains  described  in  the  Appendix.  One  of  the  dark  stains  would 
be  all  right  for  this  article. 


CANDLESTICK  3! 

The  finish  should  be  either  shellac  or  wax.  To  finish  with  shellac,  the  work  can 
be  either  a  rubbed  finish,  like  Exercise  IV,  or  a  two-coat  finish  and  rubbed  with 
pumice  and  oil,  or  water  (see  Appendix).  The  wax  finish  is  applied  with  a  rag  and 
is  left  to  dry  for  a  short  time,  and  is  then  polished  with  a  dry,  soft  cloth,  while  the 
lathe  is  in  motion. 


FIG.  55 

When  the  surface  is  finished  the  work  is  taken  off  the  face  plate  and  "chucked"; 
that  is,  the  work  has  to  be  turned  around  so  that  the  side  which  was  against  the 
face  plate  would  be  out.  To  do  this,  a  piece  of  wood  is  fastened  on  the  face  plate 
and  a  recess  is  turned  into  it,  as  shown  in  Fig.  58.  The  piece  of  work  is  held  in 
the  chuck  by  friction,  a  good  tight  fit  being  all  that  is  needed  to  hold  it.  This 
operation  is  termed  "  chucking."  When  the  piece  is  chucked  and  the  work  revolves 
true,  commence  to  cut  it  out,  using  the  round-nose  scraping  tool ;  then  finish  with 
the  square-nose  scraping  tool  or  the  skew  chisel. 


WOOD  TURNING 


FIG.  56 


FIG.  58 


CANDLESTICK 


33 


The  templet  applied  to  the  work  is  shown  in  Fig.  59.  After  the  piece  has  been 
cut  into  shape,  turn  the  hole  in  the  hub  as  shown  in  the  working  drawing,  fit  and 
glue  the  upright  in  place,  being  careful  that  it  is  fastened  true ;  when  the  glue  is 
dry,  turn  the  hole  (which  holds  the  candle)  ;  sandpaper  the  work  smooth,  and 
"  finish  "  the  same  as  the  other  side. 


FIG.  59 


The  principles  underlying  work  of  this  character  are  very  important  to  the  student 
who  intends  to  take  up  pattern  making ;  the  principles  and  methods  are  applied 
extensively  in  the  turning  of  patterns.  As  a  supplementary  lesson  the  student  should 
be  encouraged  to  design  pieces  of  work  in  which  the  same  principles  are  applied  as 
that  given  in  connection  with  the  candlestick ;  that  is,  a  piece  that  would  require 
templets  and  also  chucking  to  work  it  out. 


34 


WOOD  TURNING 
EXERCISE  VI.    MALLET 


Material :  Apple  wood  or  hickory 

The  general  drawing,  Fig.  60,  is  what  is  termed  a  tabulated  drawing ;  letters 
instead  of  figures  are  used  on  the  drawing.  To  obtain  the  dimensions  of  any  of  the 
mallets  numbered  1,2,  and  3,  look  along  the  space  opposite  the  number  and  under 
the  letter,  where  the  dimension  will  be  found. 


B 


A-  ..-^ 


NO. 


K. 


" 


sir" 


12. 


si" 


-§- 


sr"    IT    -If" 


FIG.  60 

There  is  no  doubt  that  a  much  smoother  piece  of  work  can  be  obtained  from  the 
paring  cut  than  from  the  scraping  cut.  In  working  out  this  problem,  use  the  par- 
ing cut  on  the  handle  and  the  scraping  cut  on  the  head. 


MALLET 


35 


FIG.  6 1 


First  turn  the  handle  to  its  largest  diameter ;  then  turn  that  portion  of  it  which 

goes  through  the  head,  and,  instead  of  using  the  calipers  for  the  diameter,  use  a 

gauge  made  out  of  thin  stock.  The  gauge  is  shown  in  Fig.  61 . 
To  make  the  gauge.    The  hole  is  bored  with  an  auger 

bit  corresponding  to  dimensions   given   in  the   table.    The 

gauge  is  hung  on  the  dead  center  so  that  it  will  not  be 

necessaiy  to  remove  the  work  from  the  lathe  when  trying 

for  size.     Leave  this  part  of  the  handle  a  little  longer  than 

the  diameter  of  the  head  so  that  it  may  be  finished  off  flush 

when  the  mallet  is  put  together. 

In  cutting  the   curve  on  the  handle,  notice  that  it  is  a 

long  curve  and  not  a  series  of  curves.    The  curve  is  cut  with  the  gouge.    The 

lines  on  the  handle  are  decorative,  and  are  cut  with  the  point  of  the  skew. 
When  all  cutting  is  done,  sandpaper  smooth,  give  a  coat  of  shellac,  lay  it  aside 

to  dry,  and  before  fitting  it  into  the  head,  put  it  back  into  the  lathe  and  smooth 

off  the  shellac  with  fine  sandpaper. 

To  work  out  the  head.  After  turning  the 
cylinder  to  the  largest  diameter,  mark  the 
center  line  with  the  chisel  point,  then  meas- 
ure equal  distances  on  each  side  of  it.  Pos- 
sibly the  only  point  that  need  be  mentioned 
is  the  "fillets,"  that  is,  the  small  curves 
where  the  two  diameters  meet.  These  can 
be  cut  with  the  small  gouge  or  round-nose 
scraping  tool ;  in  cutting  the  ends,  use  the 
parting  tool.  The  lines  on  the  head  are  also 
decorative  and  are  cut  in  the  same  way  as 
those  on  the  handle.  When  the  head  is 
turned,  finish  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
handle,  with  sandpaper  and  shellac. 

To  fasten  the  handle  into  the  head.    That 

part  of  the  handle  which  fits  into  the  head  should  be  split  with  a  saw  cut,  about 

half  its  length  ;  the  hole  in  the  head  should  be  bored  true.    To  get  the  hole  true, 

points  should  be  marked  on  each  side  and  the  hole  bored  in  from  these  points. 


FIG.  62 


36  WOOD  TURNING 

To  locate  the  points  to  bore  for  the  handle.  To  lay  out  the  hole,  take  a  compass 
and  set  it  to  the  radius  of  the  larger  circle,  that  is,  largest  diameter.  Commence  at 
a  point  selected  on  the  center  line  and  space  off  three  spaces  on  one  side,  then  go 
back  to  the  starting  point  and  space  off  three  spaces  on  the  other  side.  Most  likely 
it  will  be  found  that  in  spacing,  the  points  will  not  meet  (see  A,  Fig.  62).  Divide 
this  space  equally  ;  this  will  give  the  point  on  which  to  bore  ;  the  first  point  will  be 
the  point  to  bore  on  the  other  side. 

In  boring,  it  might  be  well  to  have  some  one  to  "  line  up  "  the  bit,  that  is,  to  see 
that  the  bit  is  held  at  right  angles  to  the  axis  of  the  cylinder.  When  the  hole  is 
bored,  drive  the  handle  into  the  head  and  fasten  it  in  with  a  wedge,  having  the 
wedge  in  the  position  shown  in  the  drawing. 

The  next  step  is  to  trim  and  smooth  all  ends  and  finish  with  shellac.  Two  coats 
of  shellac  will  be  sufficient. 

EXERCISE  VII.    CANDLESTICK 
Material :  Mahogany,  birch,  cherry,  oak,  or  maple 

This  piece  of  work  (Fig.  63)  is  made  of  two  parts ;  the  upright  being  turned 
between  centers  and  the  base  on  the  screw  chuck. 

In  turning  the  beads  on  the  upright,  care  should  be  taken  while  using  the  chisel, 
so  that  it  will  not  slip.  Roll  the  chisel  to  follow  the  curves  with  a  full  swing.  In 
cutting  beads,  it  might  be  well  for  the  pupil  to  practice  on  a  waste  piece ;  some  of 
the  miscellaneous  exercises  given  at  the  end  of  this  manual  could  be  selected 
for  practice. 

The  base  is  cut  plankwise  of  the  stock  in  the  same  manner  that  the  base  in 
Exercise  V  is  cut.  The  hole  in  the  top  is  turned  after  the  upright  is  fastened 
into  the  base. 

An  ebony,  or  any  of  the  dark  stains,  is  peculiarly  appropriate  for  this  piece 
of  work. 

EXERCISE  VIII.    NAPKIN  RINGS 

(BELL  CHUCK  WORK) 
Material :  Birch,  maple,  apple,  or  any  close-grained  hard  wood 

The  methods  of  turning,  given  in  connection  with  this  exercise,  are  applicable 
to  hollow  work,  such  as  cups,  vases,  etc, 


NAPKIN  RINGS 


37 


FIG.  63 


38  WOOD  TURNING 

First,  the  stock  is  placed  in  the  lathe  between  centers  and  turned  to  a  cylinder. 
The  end  of  the  cylinder  is  then  turned  down  small  enough  so  that  it  can  be  driven 
into  the  bell  chuck  (see  A,  Fig.  7).  The  bell  chuck  is  then  screwed  on  to  the 
spindle  of  the  lathe,  and  the  interior  of  the  napkin  ring  is  turned  out.  Use  the 


FIG.  64 


inside  calipers  to  measure  with.  The  outside  is  turned  next,  and  the  ring  is  then 
sandpapered  and  finished,  either  shellac  or  wax  finish  being  used. 

When  the  ring  is  finished,  cut  it  off,  using  the  cut-off  tool,  and  chuck  it.  Chuck 
it  on  what  remains  of  the  stock  from  which  the  ring  was  turned.  This  is  clone  by 
turning  the  end  small  enough  for  the  ring  to  slip  over  it  snugly.  After  chucking, 
finish  the  end. 


SMALL   BOX 


39 


To  make  a  substitute  for  a  bell  chuck.  Where  no  bell  chuck  can  be  had,  a  substi- 
tute for  a  bell  chuck  may  be  made  by  using  a  wood  face  plate,  turning  out  a  hole  in 
the  center  to  receive  the  stock.  To  make  it  doubly  secure,  the  stock  may  be  glued 
into  the  face  plate. 

Sometimes  such  work  is  fastened  on  the  screw-center  chuck.  When  the  piece 
is  long,  this  method  of  holding  it  is  not  advisable. 


EXERCISE  IX.    SMALL  BOX 

Material :   Mahogany,  birch,  cherry 

The  student  should  always  keep  in  mind  that  there  is  usually  more  than  one  way 
in  which  a  piece  of  work  can  be  made.  The  method  given  with  this  piece  is  one 
that  is  used  extensively  in  pattern  making. 

-5|" 


FIG.  65 

Using  glue  and  paper  to  mount  the  work.  In  preparing  the  stock  for  the  lathe, 
proceed  as  follows  :  first,  secure  an  iron  face  plate  (two  if  convenient,  one  for  the 
bottom,  and  one  for  the  cover  of  the  box),  fasten  a  wood  face  plate  to  it,  and  turn 


WOOD  TURNING 


FIG.  66 


SMOKERS'  SET  41 

it  true.  Cut  the  corners  off  the  pieces  from  which  the  box  is  to  be  made,  glue  a  piece 
of  paper  on  the  face  plate,  then  glue  the  stock  to  the  paper  and  clamp  with  a 
hand  screw.  When  the  glue  is  dry  the  piece  is  ready  to  be  turned.  Methods  of 
turning  are  the  same  as  in  Exercise  V.  When  the  inside  and  outside  of  the  box 
is  turned,  sandpaper,  stain,  and  finish.  (Use  some  of  the  stains  and  finishes  given 
in  the  Appendix.) 

To  remove  the  work  from  the  face  plate.  To  remove  from  the  plate,  drive  a 
chisel  between  the  face  plate  and  the  box.  The  paper  will  split.  Chuck  the  work 
on  the  plate  to  finish  the  bottom. 

The  inside  of  the  cover  should  be  turned  first ;  this  will  be  the  better  way,  for 
the  groove  and  flat  surface  give  a  better  chance  for  chucking  than  the  rounding 
side  would.  Finish  the  same  as  the  body,  then  chuck  it  and  turn  the  outside  of 
the  cover,  and  finish.  The  use  of  paper  on  the  face  plate  does  away  with  all  screw 
holes  in  the  work. 

EXERCISE  X.    SMOKERS'  SET 

Material :  Cherry,  birch,  oak 

The  design  given  here  is  only  suggestive  ;  the  student  may  submit  an  original 
design  to  the  instructor  before  undertaking  to  make  this  piece. 

The  methods  of  turning  in  this  exercise  are  a  combination  of  the  methods  pre- 
viously given.  To  a  great  extent  the  pupil  should  rely  on  his  own  skill  and  ability 
in  working  out  this  piece. 

Staining  and  finishing  should  all  be  done  before  the  pieces  are  removed  from 
the  chucks,  being  careful  not  to  get  the  "  finish  "  on  the  parts  that  are  to  be  glued 
to  the  base.  Glue  will  not  stick  to  varnish  or  shellac. 

EXERCISE  XI.    TOWEL  RAILS 
Material :  Birch,  oak,  ash,  cherry,  or  maple 

In  the  figure  is  shown  the  assembly  drawing  of  this  piece  of  work.  The  student 
should  study  out  the  pieces  from  it,  instead  of  having  a  detail  drawing  of  each  piece. 

In  regard  to  the  "  arms  "  or  pieces  that  support  the  arms,  the  worker  will  notice 
that  they  are  pieces  which  are  turned  up  on  centers,  and  previous  instruction  will 
suffice  for  these.  The  balls  on  the  supporting  pieces  are  turned  in  the  same  manner 


WOOD   TURNING 


as  that  given  in  connection  with  the  convex  curve  on  the  upright  piece  of  the 
candlestick,  Figs.  54  and  69.  The  curves  are  pared,  using  a  right  and  left  cut ; 
the  shape  of  the  balls  is  judged  by  the  eye  instead  of  using  a  templet. 


FIG.  68 


To  turn  a  ring.    The  ring  is  turned  in  the  following  manner :  The  stock  is  pre- 
pared by  cutting  off  the  corners.    The  face  plate  or  screw-center  chuck  is  then 
fastened  directly  on  the  piece,  care  being  taken  to  see 
that  the  screws  are  not  placed  into  that  portion  of  the 
piece  from  which  the  ring  is  to  be  cut. 

To  make  the   templet.    The  templet  is  made  by 
boring  a  hole  of  the  exact  di- 
ameter, through  a  thin  piece  of 
stock ;  the  piece  is  then  cut  in 
halves,  as  shown  by  the  dotted  line  in  Fig.  68. 

When  everything  is  ready,  screw  the  face  plate  on  to  the 
spindle  of  the  lathe,  set  the  rest,  and  turn  off  the  outside  to 
the  required  diameter  and  also  "  face  "  off  the  side  of  the 
piece.  The  next  step  is  to  measure  in  from  the  outside  edge 
the  thickness  of  the  ring,  and  then  cut  away  as  much  of  the 
surplus  stock  from  the  center  as  is  possible  without  striking 
the  screws.  Round  off  the  corners,  using  the  templet  fre- 
quently so  that  the  correct  shape  may  be  obtained.  In 
Fig.  69  is  shown  the  piece  ready  for  rounding. 

When  the  ring   is  formed  as  far  as  it   is   possible  to 
do  so  on  the  first,  side,  sandpaper  it  smooth  ;  then  take  it  from  the  face  plate 
and  chuck  it. 


FIG.  69 


ROLLING  PIN 


43 


To  chuck  the  work.  The  scheme  of  chucking  will  be  understood  from  Fig.  70. 
When  the  piece  is  chucked,  cut  out  the  center  and  proceed  to  finish  the  ring. 
Care  should  be  taken  to  see  that  the  "  section  "  of  the  ring  is  a  true  circle. 

When  all  the  rounding  is  done,  sandpaper,  and  then 
flatten  off  the  side  as  shown  in  the  drawing.  Finish 
by  using  any  of  the  finishes  given  in  the  Appendix. 


EXERCISE  XII.    ROLLING  PIN 
Material:  Maple 

The  work  that  follows  in  this  manual  is,  to  a  con- 
extent,   a  repetition   of    methods    previously 


siderable 

given  ;  for  this  reason  the  sequence  in  which  the  draw- 
ings are  placed  need  not  be  taken  into  consideration. 

The  rolling  pin  shown  in  Fig.  71  is  commenced  in 
the  same  manner  as  that  given  in  connection  with  any 
piece  that  is  turned  up  on  centers.  The  stock  should 
be  a  little  longer  than  the  finished  article  in  order  to 
get  rid  of  the  center  marks  on  the  ends.  (The  worker 
will  observe  that  the  larger  the  cylinder,  the  larger  the  skew  chisel  should  be 
make  the  paring  cut.) 

After  the  piece  is  turned  to  its  largest  diameter,  lay  off  the  distances  for 
handles  and  cut  off  most  of  the  surplus  stock  with  the  gouge,  after  which  cut 


FIG.  70 


,  to 

the 
the 


i ^4&y//j!r 

3±r 1-  •-  Hi"  — 


FIG.  71 

handles  to  their  largest  diameter' and  then  form  them  by  cutting  with  the  gouge, 
being  careful  that  the  side  of  the  gouge  does  not  dig  into  the  end  of  the  body  of 
the  roller. 


44 


WOOD  TURNING 


When  all  the  cutting  is  done,  finish  with  No.  i^,  No.  \,  and  No.  o  sandpaper, 
after  which  remove  from  the  lathe  and  finish  off  the  ends  of  the  handles  at  the 
bench. 

No  oil  or  varnish  of  any  kind  is  used  on  this  piece  of  work.  A  screw  eye  may 
be  put  into  the  end  of  one  of  the  handles  to  hang  it  up  by. 

EXERCISE  XIII.    POTATO  MASHER 
Material:  Maple 

The  methods  applied  on  this  exercise  are  practically  the  same  as  those  given  in 
Exercise  XII. 

In  this  piece  of  work  long  convex  curves  and  short  concave  curves  are  the 
special  features.  All  the  cutting  may  be  done  with  the  gouge,  with  the  exception 


T 


FIG.  72 

of  the  ends  which  require  the  chisel  to  finish,  or  both  the  gouge  and  the  chisel  may 
be  used  on  the  side. 

Finish  with  No.  \\,  No.  \,  and  No.  o  sandpaper.  (Neither  oil  nor  varnish  is 
to  be  used  on  this  piece.)  When  the  work  is  finished  on  the  lathe  remove  and 
trim  the  ends  at  the  bench. 


EXERCISE  XIV.    CARD  RECEIVER 

Material :  Cherry,  oak,  mahogany,  birch 

In  work  of  this  character  it  is  advisable  to  use  a  templet  for  both  the  outside 
and  inside.  As  before  stated,  when  a  templet  is  used,  two  points  are  required  as 
guides  in  placing  it.  In  making  the  templets  use  thin  stock,  long  enough  to 


CARD  RECEIVER 


45 


reach  across  the  work  so  that  a  bearing  may  be  had  on  both  sides  of  the  piece. 
Figs.  56  and  59  show  templets  bearing  on  the  two  points.  The  outer  edges  of  the 
card  receiver  would  be  the  points  of  contact  for  the  templets  in  this  case. 

In  preparing  the  stock  for  the  lathe  the  material  should  be  mounted  on  a  wood 
face  plate  fastened  to  the  regular  iron  face  plate.    To  do  this  the  method  and 


FIG.  73 

instructions  given  in  connection  with  the  box  on  page  39  should  be  followed ;  that 
is,  glue  to  plate  with  paper  between. 

When  the  piece  is  finished  and  sandpapered,  it  will  be  better  to  chuck  it  in  order 
to  smooth  off  the  bottom,  although  this  is  not  absolutely  necessary,  as  the  bottom 
may  be  finished  off  with  the  plane  at  the  bench. 

The  finish  and  stain  to  be  used  will  depend  on  the  kind  of  wood.  The  dif- 
ferent stains  and  finishes  will  be  found  in  the  Appendix. 


46  WOOD  TURNING 


SUPPLEMENTARY   EXERCISES 

Many  useful  and  ornamental  pieces  of  work  can  be  turned  out  on  the  speed 
lathe  ;  light-  and  dark-colored  woods  in  combination,  formed  into  designs,  are  often 
used  to  produce  effects  on  turned  work  that  are  artistic  ;  and  the  student  is  advised, 
whenever  possible  and  time  permits,  to  design  and  build  up  pieces  of  such  work 
where  the  contrast  between  the  woods  will  be  marked.  The  results  will  more  than 
compensate  for  the  trouble  and  work  of  glueing  up  the  stock. 

In  preparing  stock  for  such  work  the  surfaces  should  be  planed  to  a  perfect  fit 
before  being  glued  together,  as  a  poor  joint  would  be  likely  to  ruin  the  work  while 
being  operated  on  in  the  lathe. 

In  the  following  supplementary  exercises  there  has  been  no  effort  made  to  intro- 
duce what  is  usually  termed  "  fancy  turning,"  such  as  the  turning  of  elliptical  forms, 
turning  balls  inside  a  ball,  turning  loose  rings  on  a  spindle,  trefoils,  and  work  which 
requires  much  manipulation  in  chucks.  The  projects  selected  are  ones  which  the 
average  student  should  be  able  to  .carry  out  successfully,  in  view  of  his  previous 
experience.  Students  are  advised,  at  this  stage,  to  submit  original  designs  to  the 
instructor  in  charge,  that  the  difficulties  connected  with  the  execution  of  these 
pieces  may  be  made  subjects  for  class  discussion. 

The  exercises,  Figs.  74  to  87,  are  intended  to  supplement  previous  work,  and  are 
also  suggestive  for  larger  pieces  and  practice  in  developing  speed  in  turning  out 
work  on  the  lathe. 

The  names  of  the  following  pieces  are  given  as  suggestions  for  the  student  to 
design.  When  a  large  piece  is  turned,  it  is  rarely  turned  from  solid  stock,  but  is 
built  up.  In  designing  a  piece  this  should  be  taken  into  consideration,  so  that  the 
joints  may  not  be  too  conspicuous,  unless  the  woods  were  light  and  dark,  when  the 
joints  should  be  absolutely  symmetrical  with  the  axis  of  the  piece. 

Names  of  pieces.  Piano  stool  (may  be  co'mbined  with  a  piece  of  bench  work), 
legs  for  colonial  table  (the  top  and  shelf  would  be  bench  work),  serving  trays, 
bread  boards,  table  mats,  candlesticks,  bowls  for  nuts,  rose  jars,  vases,  spindles  for 
furniture,  legs  for  pieces  of  furniture,  pedestals,  base  and  pen  rack  for  ink  stand, 
foot  rests,  game  boards,  circular  hand  mirrors,  collar  and  cuff  box,  jewel  boxes, 
walking  sticks,  match  safes,  etc. 


SUPPLEMENTARY   EXERCISES 


47 


48 


WOOD  TURNING 


3  «  s 

"s  <u   >\ 

I  If 

•a  lr 

la  "^ 

^  4J     W 

^  8.a 


I II 


O      j      « 

c  IS 


SUPPLEMENTARY   EXERCISES 


49 


FIG.  76.   BOWL 
(Material :  Birch,  Oak,  Walnut) 

This  piece  should  be  mounted  on  a  face  plate  with  glue  and  paper,  and  templets  should  be  used  to 
cut  by.  This  article  is  very  useful  on  a  library  table  as  a  catch-all,  and  if  for  any  reason  a  cover  is 
needed  for  it,  one  may  very  easily  be  designed.  Finished  in  dark  mahogany  it  presents  a  very 

pleasing  effect 


WOOD  TURNING 


FIG.  77.   PLATE 

(Material :  Black  Walnut,  Maple,  Cherry,  Mahogany,  Oak  ) 
Use  glue  and  paper  to  hold  the  material  on  the  face  plate,  and  templets  to  work  by 


SUPPLEMENTARY  EXERCISES 


(V 


j  I 


O5 


i«  J-H 


£"- 


FIG.  78.   PICTURE  FRAME 
(Material :  Birch,  Mahogany,  Oak,  Cherry) 


-'*  A 


52 


WOOD  TURNING 


FIG.  79.    POWDER  Box.    (Material:  Oak,  Cherry,  Mahogany) 


SUPPLEMENTARY  EXERCISES 


53 


FIG.  80.    CUP.   (Material :  Oak,  Cherry,  Birch,  Walnut,  Mahogany) 
An  attractive  piece  of  work  may  be  made  of  this,  if  built  up  of  a  combination  of  colored  woods 


54 


WOOD  TURNING 


OT 


(T> 

M-. 


.i 

l_  

\ 
t 

r 

r 

t 
i 

0 

j 

£ 

1 

PQ 

>^ 

1 
W 

! 

1 
1 

"rt 

X 

^ 
.a 

'5 
| 

S, 

1 
| 

D- 
1 

B 

_G 

j 

a 

1 
I 

0* 

< 
1 

\ 

-1 
j 

1 

\ 

^ 

J 

W 

0 

FIG.  81.    DUMB-BELL.   (Material:  Maple) 
Use  a  templet  to  work  by 


SUPPLEMENTARY  EXERCISES 


55 


si- 


FIG. 83.    TURNING  TOOL  HANDLES.   (Material :  Hickory,  Apple) 

Lathe  tool  handles  are  often  broken  by  accident  and  must  be  replaced.  In  turning  a  handle,  the  size 
of  the  tang  of  the  tool  should  be  taken  into  account  when  procuring  the  fertile.  The  drawings 
given  above  are  for  handles  suitable  for  a  i-inch  cut-off  tool,  a  |-inch  or  f-inch  skew  chisel  or  gouge, 
and  a  |-inch  or  |-inch  skew  chisel  or  gouge.  For  larger  tools  the  handles  should  be  increased  a  little 
in  diameter  but  not  in  length 


WOOD  TURNING 


DETAIL-  OF  RING 
2 -WANTED 


FIG.  84.    TOWEL  RINGS.    (Material :  Cherry,  Maple,  Birch) 


SUPPLEMENTARY  EXERCISES 


57 


FIG.  85.    VASE.   (Material :  Whitewood,  Birch,  Cherry,  Mahogany,  or  build  up  of  light  and 

dark  woods,  such  as  Cherry  and  Black  Walnut) 

Use  the  bell  chuck 


WOOD  TURNING 


S  NIPPLE  TO  BE  USED 


SHADE  SUPPORT 


FIG.  86.   LAMP  STANDARD 

(Material :   Oak,  Mahogany  ;  finish 
with  dark  stain) 

The  hole  for  the  wire  should  be 
bored  before  placing  in  the  lathe. 
Turn  small  plugs  to  place  in  the  hole, 
at  the  ends,  to  support  the  piece. 
The  base  should  be  mounted  on  a 
screw-center  chuck  ;  the  upper  side 
turned  first  and  finished ;  then  it 
should  be  chucked  so  that  the  recess 
in  the  bottom  can  be  turned.  The 
hole  on  the  edge  will  be  bored  with 
a  bit 


SUPPLEMENTARY  EXERCISES 


59 


FIG.  87.   STOCKING  AND  GLOVE  DARNER 
(Material :   Maple,  Cherry,  Birch,  or  build  up  of  light  and  dark  colored  woods) 


6o 


WOOD  TURNING 


PARTED  OR  SPLIT  WORK 

Methods  for  turning  a  piece  of  "  split  "  work,  such  as  would  be  used  for  decora- 
tive purposes  on  flat  surfaces.  In  Fig.  88  is  shown  a  piece  that  is  semicircular 
in  section,  such  as  would  be  used  in  connection  with  moldings  on  flat  surfaces, 
where  they  are  "  planted  on  "  as  decorations. 

In  some  cases  it  is  customary  to  finish  the  end  of  a  straight  piece  of  molding 
with  a  "  final,"  such  as  is  shown  in  the  figure.  In  order  to  produce  this  piece  so 
that  one  side  will  be  flat,  several  methods  are  made  use  of  in  preparing  the  stock 
for  the  lathe.  (These  methods  are  also  used  on  such  ivork  as  turned  pilasters  and 


FIG. 


on  parted  cylindrical  patterns?)  For  convenience  the  methods  are  numbered, 
No.  I  being  given  the  preference,  as  in  most  cases  it  saves  time  but  uses  a  trifle 
more  stock. 

As  indicated  in  the  cuts,  two  pieces  of  stock  are  used  in  working  out  problems  of 
this  kind.  The  surface  of  each  piece  should  be  planed  true  before  being  fastened 
together. 

Method  /.  Fig.  89  shows  this  method  where  screws  are  made  use  of  to  hold  the 
pieces  together.  That  part  of  the  stock  in  which  the  screws  are  placed  should  be 
outside  of  the  exercise  so  that  there  will  be  no  holes  in  the  work  when  finished. 


PARTED  OR  SPLIT  WORK 


6l 


Method  2.  In  Fig.  90  is  illustrated  the  method  where  glue  and  paper  are  used 
to  hold  the  pieces  together.  The  glued  surfaces  should  be  outside  of  the  exercise, 
as  indicated  in  the  figure. 


FIG.  91 


FIG.  92 


Method  J.  Fig.  91  illustrates  a  method  where  corrugated  nails  are  made  use  of, 
and  for  very  light  work  this  method  is  an  excellent  one. 

MetJwd  4.  Fig.  92  illustrates  a  method  where  pinch  dogs  are  used,  and  in  con- 
nection with  method  No.  I  is  often  used  on  heavy  work. 

Method  5.  Where  much  of  this  character  of  work  is  done,  special  attachments 
are  used  on  the  lathe,  which  are  practical  and  time-savers.  These  attachments  can 


62 


WOOD  TURNING 


be  made  of  wood  in  connection  with  the  face  plate.  Fig.  93  shows  the  attachments. 
The  pieces  from  which  the  work  is  to  be  turned  should  be  fitted  snugly  between 
the  jaws  of  the  chucks.  The  screws  shown  are  filed  sharp,  the  work  is  driven 
between  the  jaws,  and  the  points  of  the  screws  hold  it  from  slipping  sidewise.  For 
the  dead-center  end,  a  cone  center  and  a  small  plate  fastened  to  the  wooden  plate 
make  a  serviceable  chuck.  These  chucks  can  be  made  of  cast  iron,  and  would  be 
valuable  additions  to  any  wood-turning  room. equipment. 


A    METHOD     FOR    HOLDING     TWO 
TOGETHER       ROR      SRI-IT      WORK 


FIG.  93 


MISCELLANEOUS  TURNED  MOLDINGS 

Possibly  there  is  no  more  fascinating  work  on  the  lathe  than  that  of  "  rolling  "  a 
bead  or  cutting  a  "  hollow."  Often  the  beginner,  after  having  had  a  little  practice 
on  the  lathe,  is  at  a  loss  for  some  design  to  practice  on  and  work  out. 

In  order  that  the  pupil  may  have  something  to  guide  him,  the  "  plates  "  of 
turned  moldings  have  been  added  to  this  manual,  and  in  them  may  be  found  com- 
binations of  beads  and  fillets  of  almost  any  design. 

From  the  designs  an  instructor  may  arrange  a  series  of  exercises  for  practice  in 
the  paring  of  beads  and  hollows,  or,  if  turned  up  in  long  lengths,  the  molding  can 
be  used  in  the  decorating  of  corners  or  flat  surfaces.  Some  of  the  designs  could  be 
enlarged  and  used  as  chair  spindles  and  legs.  The  designs  are  also  suggestive  for 
grill  work  and  fire-screen  panels. 


MISCELLANEOUS  TURNED   MOLDINGS  63 

In  using  the  designs  for  exercises  the  material  should  be  close-grained  wood, 
such  as  whitewood  or  red  gum.  Pieces  for  spindles,  legs,  or  moldings  should  be 
stained  and  finished  before  the  center  ends  are  cut  off.  It  is  easier  to  finish  such 
pieces  on  the  lathe  because  of  the  irregularity  of  the  surface. 


PLATE  I 


PLATE  II 


64 


WOOD  TURNING 


-%-      ^ 


PLATE  III 


PLATE  IV 


MISCELLANEOUS  TURNED  MOLDINGS 


^_ . — -^v_->*k-^_^^~ —         — — "~^__^x^- — -- 


PLATE  V 


PLATE  VI 


APPENDIX 


There  has  possibly  been  no  greater  progress  made  in  any  art  in  the  past  few  years  than 
that  which  has  been  made  in  the  art  of  staining  and  finishing  woods.  This,  we  believe,  is 
to  a  great  extent  the  result  of  the  "Arts  and  Crafts  "  movement,  which  has  brought  out 
many  new  shades  in  dyes  and  stains,  and  new  methods  of  finishing. 

There  are  on  the  market  many  beautiful  stains  and  finishes  which  give  pleasing  results, 
but  to  the  pupils  who  wish  to  make  some  experiments  of  their  own  the  following  recipes 
are  given. 

It  should  always  be  kept  in  mind  that  a  small  piece  of  work  is  much  more  easily  fin- 
ished than  a  large  piece ;  especially  is  this  true  when  water  or  spirit  stains  are  used.  Any 
one  using  these  stains  should  be  careful  to  have  them  applied  in  such  a  manner  that  the 
staining  will  not  show  laps.  This  difficulty  is  not  met  with  in  using  oil  stains,  as  they  do 
not  dry  out  so  quickly  as  the  others. 

The  materials  used  in  staining  are  many,  and  may  be  divided  into  five  classes;  namely, 
alkali,  aniline,  acid,  mineral,  and  vegetable  stains.  Some  colors  are  of  such  a  nature  that 
they  fade  and  necessitate  "  setting,"  or  "  fixing,"  with  a  mordant.  The  materials  mostly  used 
to  fix  a  color  are  sulphate  of  iron,  commonly  known  as  green  vitriol  or  green  copperas, 
and  alum.  The  quantity  to  use  for  a  solution  is  two  ounces  of  either  copperas  or  alum  to 
a  quart  of  water.  Place  the  material  in  a  cloth  and  suspend  it  in  the  water  where  it  will 
readily  dissolve.  Copperas  is  also  used  in  connection  with  the  ebonizing  of  wood. 

The  following  list  of  stains  and  finishes  does  not  exhaust  the  subject,  but  these  are 
given  as  the  most  simple  ones  for  the  beginner  to  use. 

Before  applying  a  stain  or  finish  of  any  kind,  the  wood  should  be  thoroughly  smoothed 
with  tools  and  sandpapered.  Hard  woods  should  be  planed,  scraped,  and  sandpapered,  thus 
eliminating  all  rough  and  dull-looking  spots.  This  is  absolutely  necessary  in  order  to  obtain 
a  good  "  finish." 

There  are  possibly  no  more  simple  finishes  to  apply  than  linseed  oil  and  finishing  wax. 

To  finish  with  linseed  oil.  When  the  work  is  thoroughly  prepared,  apply  a  coat  of  lin- 
seed oil  and  allow  it  to  stand  for  a  time,  then  rub  with  a  soft  cloth.  Let  the  work  dry 
and  then  apply  another  coat  of  oil.  Repeat  the  operation  five  or  six  times.  When  the  oil  is 
thoroughly  oxidized,  rub  with  a  cloth  until  a  gloss  is  obtained.  In  fact,  the  time  never 
comes  when  a  little  more  rubbing  will  not  improve  a  surface  finished  with  linseed  oil. 

67 


68  WOOD  TURNING 

This  finish  has  a  quality  that  is  greatly  overlooked ;  namely,  that  it  is  not  easily  marked 
with  hot  dishes  or  water. 

To  finish  with  wax.  Finishing  wax  can  be  applied  on  almost  any  stain,  or  it  can  be 
applied  directly  to  the  wood.  When  it  is  rubbed  down  it  gives  a  dull  gloss.  It  is  a  rather 
soft  finish,  is  easily  marred,  but  has  the  advantage  in  that  it  can  be  refinished  without 
much  trouble. 

Apply  the  wax  on  the  article  with  a  cloth,  let  it  stand  for  a  few  minutes,  then  rub  off 
with  a  soft  cloth.  To  polish,  use  a  fairly  hard  brush.  To  refinish,  repeat  the  above  operation. 

To  make  finishing  wax.  Cut  beeswax  into  small  pieces,  and,  with  twice  as  much  turpen- 
tine as  there  is  wax,  place  in  a  vessel  and  apply  a  moderate  heat  which  will  help  to  soften 
the  wax. 

The  vessel  should  not  be  placed  over  the  fire. 

The  wax  should  be  of  the  consistency  of  vaseline ;  if  too  thick,  thin  with  turpentine. 

To  finish  with  shellac.  In  using  shellac  care  should  be  taken  to  see  that  the  solution 
is  not  too  thick ;  when  too  thick,  thin  with  alcohol. 

In  finishing  a  turned  piece,  brush  on  a  fairly  heavy  coat  of  the  shellac  varnish ;  then, 
while  the  lathe  is  in  motion,  rub  the  surplus  off  with  a  cloth,  before  it  hardens.  This  will 
give  a  good  finish  for  chisel  handles  and  similar  articles. 

On  flat  surfaces  the  shellac  should  be  brushed  evenly  and  not  too  heavy.  To  obtain  a 
glossy  surface,  three  coats  are  necessary.  After  each  coat  the  surface  should  be  smoothed 
with  fine  sandpaper  (using  No.  oo)  before  applying  the  next. 

To  rub  a  shellacked  surface,  use  felt,  and  rub  down  with  powdered  pumice  and  water. 
To  polish  the  surface  of  a  piece  on  the  lathe,  use  shellac  and  oil,  being  careful  not  to  use 
an  excess  of  either.  A  little  experience  will  determine  the  exact  amounts. 

To  cut  shellac.  Put  any  quantity  of  gum  shellac  in  a  vessel  (either  earthen  or  glass, 
but  not  tin  or  iron),  cover  it  over  with  alcohol,  stir  it  frequently.  It  will  take  about 
four  to  eight  hours  to  reduce  the  gum  to  liquid  form. 

To  lighten  shellac.  Shellac  will  become  dark  colored  when  kept  in  a  tin  or  iron  vessel.  To 
clear  it,  add  about  one  heaping  teaspoonful  of  oxalic  acid  to  a  quart  of  liquid  shellac.  It  is  not 
advisable  to  use  the  oxalic  acid  often  in  the  same  solution,  as  the  mixture  deteriorates. 

To  finish  with  varnish.  Usually  a  surface  that  is  to  be  finished  with  varnish  is  first 
filled  (see  Filler)  after  staining,  or  the  filler  may  be  colored,  thus  staining  and  filling 
with  one  operation. 

After  the  surface  is  filled,  the  pores  of  the  wood  should  be  sealed ;  it  is  found  best  to 
seal  them  by  applying  a  coat  of  shellac.  After  the  shellac  is  dry  it  is  smoothed  with  sand- 
paper, and  then  a  coat  of  varnish  is  put  on  and  allowed  to  dry.  (A  mistake  usually  made 
on  varnished  surfaces  is,  that  each  coat  is  not  allowed  to  dry  sufficiently  before  the  next 


APPENDIX  69 

coat  is  applied.)  Before  putting  on  a  fresh  coat  of  varnish  the  surface  should  be  smoothed 
with  either  No.  oo  sandpaper  or  haircloth. 

When  the  required  number  of  coats  are  spread  on  the  work  and  dried  sufficiently,  the 
surface  can  be  left  glossy,  or  it  can  be  rubbed  with  powdered  pumice  and  water,  giving 
an  eggshell  gloss,  or  it  can  be  polished.  To  polish,  rub  with  pumice  and  water,  then 
polish  by  rubbing  with  rotten  stone,  finally  using  finely  powdered  chalk.  Give  the  surface 
a  final  rubbing  with  the  bare  hand  and  clean  off  with  a  piece  of  chamois  skin  or  soft 
silk.  A  little  experience  is  necessary  to  determine  how  much  rubbing  is  required.  The 
condition  of  the  work  will  usually  determine  this. 

Fillers.    Ready-to-use  fillers  can  be  obtained  in  the  open  market ;  they  save  time.  • 

Many  materials  are  used  as  a  base  in  the  making  of  fillers,  such  as  whiting,  cornstarch, 
silex,  flour,  etc.  The  material  which  we  believe  to  be  the  best  is  silex. 

To  make  light  fillers.  To  make  the  filler,  take  a  quantity  of  silex  and  mix  it  with  lin- 
seed oil  into  a  stiff  paste ;  then  add  a  small  quantity  of  Japan  drier  in  the  proportion  of  one 
tablespoonful  to  one  quart  of  paste.  Mix  thoroughly,  thin  to  the  proper  consistency  with 
turpentine  or  benzine,  and  apply  with  a  brush ;  let  it  "  set  "  for  a  time,  then  rub  off  with 
excelsior  or  burlap,  and  finally  rub  with  waste  or  a  soft  cloth.  The  filler  should  be  left  to  dry 
for  at  least  twenty-four  hours  before  the  first  coat  of  shellac  is  applied. 

To  color  filler.  A  golden  oak  stain  and  filler  is  made  by  adding  to  the  above  raw  sienna 
and  a  little  burnt  umber.  A  dark  filler  is  made  by  adding  to  the  light  filler  burnt  umber 
and  drop  black.  A  green  filler  is  made  by  adding  to  the  light  filler  chrome  yellow  and  Prus- 
sian blue.  Almost  any  shade  or  color  can  be  had  by  using  combinations  of  pigments  with 
the  light  filler. 

Stains.  In  using  chemicals  to  stain  woods  it  will  be  found  that  different  pieces  of  the 
same  kind  of  wood  will  take  different  shades ;  especially  is  this  true  in  regard  to  oak. 

To  obtain  an  olive  green  on  oak,  use  a  saturated  solution  of  iron  chloride.  When  the 
wood  comes  out  light  a  solution  of  tannic  acid  will  darken  it.  Judgment  must  be  exercised 
in  the  use  of  the  tannic  acid  in  respect  to  the  strength  of  the  solution.  This  will  depend 
on  the  hardness  and  color  of  the  wood.  Different  shades  of  green  can  be  had  by  different 
strengths  of  solution. 

To  obtain  a  rich  deep  brown  on  oak,  use  iron  chloride,  and  on  that  apply  ammonium 
sulphide.  If  pieces  in  the  work  should  be  lighter,  use  tannic  acid  to  darken. 

To  color  whitewood  a  deep  brown,  first  give  a  coat  of  tannic  acid  (five  per  cent  solu- 
tion), then  a  coat  of  iron  chloride,  then  ammonium  sulphide.  Treat  ash  in  the  same  man- 
ner (for  brown)  as  whitewood. 

To  darken  mahogany,  use  a  five  per  cent  solution  of  bichromate  of  potash.  This  will 
age  it.  When  the  bichromate  solution  is  dry  on  the  work,  coat  with  a  solution  of  red 


70  WOOD  TURNING 

sanders.  Bichromate  solution  is  made  from  the  crystals  dissolved  in  water.  The  depth  of 
color  required  will  determine  the  strength  of  the  solution.  Red  sanders  solution  is  made 
by  extracting  the  color  from  the  powdered  red  sanders  in  alcohol.  The  depth  of  color 
required  will  determine  the  strength  of  solution. 

To  produce  an  old  mahogany  stain  on  mahogany  and  cherry,  coat  the  work  with  a  solu- 
tion of  bichromate  of  potash  or  ammonia,  and,  when  dry,  give  it  a  coat  of  filler  made  in 
the  following  manner : 

To  make  mahogany  filler,  add  rose  lake  and  drop  black  to  light  filler,  and  apply  the 
same  as  ordinary  filler. 

To  darken  oak,  use  common  lime  made  into  a  thin  paste  and  apply.  Let  it  stand  a  few 
minutes  and  rub  off ;  if  not  dark  enough,  repeat  the  operation. 

A  rich  brown  is  obtained  by  the  use  of  iron  chloride,  ammonium  sulphide,  and  burnt 
umber.  The  umber  is  made  by  mixing  some  of  the  powder  in  linseed  oil  and  turpentine, 
or  the  umber  ground  in  oil,  thinned  with  turpentine,  can  be  used.  Apply  in  the  order 
given  above. 

All  work  should  be  rubbed  off  with  a  soft  cloth  after  oil  or  oil  stain  is  applied.  On  all 
work  where  water  or  spirit  stains  are  used,  an  oil-stain  effect  can  be  obtained  by  coating 
with  linseed  oil. 

Fuming  oak  and  other  woods.  The  effect  of  fuming  with  ammonia  is  different  on  differ- 
ent woods  (a  little  experimenting  by  the  pupil  will  be  of  interest)  ;  especially  is  this  true 
of  oak.  Red  oak  will  not  give  such  good  results  as  white  oak,  and  so  it  is  with  other  woods. 

In  fuming,  the  work  should  be  free  from  all  grease  or  oil  spots.  The  surfaces  that  are 
to  be  stained  should  be  kept  clear  of  all  other  surfaces,  to  allow  free  circulation  of  the 
fumes  of  the  ammonia. 

The  work  is  placed  in  an  air-tight  box ;  an  open  vessel  containing  ammonia  is  also  placed 
in  the  box  with  the  article.  The  work  is  left  until  the  desired  color  effect  is  obtained ; 
a  beautiful  soft  stain  is  the  result. 

To  stain  wood  black,  brush  the  wood  over  several  times  with  a  hot  solution  of  logwood, 
and,  when  dry,  apply  a  coat  of  a  preparation  made  from  powdered  galls.  Finish  with  wax. 
The  logwood  solution  is  made  by  boiling  the  logwood  in  water.  The  gall  solution  is  made 
by  using  two  ounces  of  powdered  galls  to  one  quart  of  water.  The  galls  should  be  allowed 
to  stand  in  the  water  from  three  to  four  days ;  a  mild  heat  should  be  applied  during 
this  time. 

Another  method  of  ebonizing  wood  is  to  give  the  work  a  coat  of  extract  of  logwood  (the 
hotter  the  better),  and,  when  dry,  apply  a  coat  of  acetate  of  iron  (which  is  made  by  putting 
iron  filings  in  vinegar  or  in  a  five  per  cent  solution  of  acetic  acid).  After  the  second  coat  is 
dry,  apply  a  coat  of  a  solution  made  of  sulphate  of  iron  (two  ounces  to  a  quart  of  water). 


APPENDIX  71 

A  third  method  of  ebonizing  wood  is  to  apply  three  or  four  coats  of  extract  of  logwood  ; 
develop  the  color  by  going  over  the  work  with  a  tincture  of  muriate  of  iron. 

Another  method  of  ebonizing  wood.  Boil  one  half  pound  of  logwood  in  two  quarts 
of  water,  add  to  this  the  peel  or  shells  of  walnuts,  weighing  about  four  ounces.  Boil  a 
second  time  and  strain,  then  add  one  half  pint  of  good  vinegar  and  apply  to  the  work 
when  hot. 

Aniline  stains.  From  aniline  dyes  almost  any  color  and  shade  can  be  obtained  by 
combinations.  Some  of  the  colors  are  soluble  in  alcohol,  some  in  water,  and  others  are 
soluble  in  either  water,  alcohol,  or  turpentine. 

In  mixing  for  different  shades,  therefore,  the  liquid  in  which  the  color  is  soluble  will 
determine  which  can  be  mixed  together.  Some  of  the  colors  require  a  mordant,  and  a  solu- 
tion of  alum,  vinegar,  or  copperas  may  be  used. 

The  method  of  making  a  mahogany  aniline  stain  is  as  follows :  bismarck  brown,  \  oz. ; 
boiling  water,  3  pt. ;  or  bismarck  brown,  \  oz. ;  alcohol,  3  pt. 

All  other  aniline  stains  are  made  in  this  manner,  substituting  the  liquid  in  which  they 
will  dissolve.  Aniline  stains  should  be  kept  in  bottles,  labeled,  giving  strength  of  solution 
(water,  alcohol,  or  oil),  so  that  no  mistake  can  be  made  in  using  it. 

Miscellaneous  recipes,  i.  Mahogany.  Fustic  chips,  2  oz. ;  madder  root,  \  Ib. ; 
water,  \  gal. 

2.  Mahogany.    Dissolve  archil  in  water  and  make  it  of  such  strength  as  will  suit;  add 
a  little  eosin,  and  apply  to  the  work  cold. 

3.  Mahogany.    Boil  logwood  chips  in  twice  their  bulk  of  water  for  two  hours.    Strain, 
then  add  a  small  quantity  of  chloride  of  tin.    The  tin  gives  redness.    The  quantity  of  tin 
to  be  used  will  depend  upon  the  color  required.    Give  the  work  two  coats. 

4.  Walnut.    Epsom  salts,  \  oz. ;  permanganate  of  potash,  \  oz. ;  water,  \  pt.    Dissolve, 
strain,  and  apply ;  repeat  until  dark  enough  to  suit. 

5.  Walnut.    Vandyke  brown,  4  oz. ;  lye  or  potash,  2  oz. ;  water,  i^  Ib.    Boil  until  the 
bulk  is  reduced  to  less  than  half,  and  apply  with  a  cloth  when  cold. 

6.  Walnut.    Vandyke  brown,  i  oz. ;  burnt  umber,  |  oz. ;  aqua  ammonia,  \  Ib.    Mix  and 
apply  after  straining.    Let  the  work  stand  for  a  time  to  get  rid  of  the  ammonia  fumes. 

7.  To  make  a  roseuwod  stain.    Boil  one  quarter  of  a  pound  of  logwood  in  one  and  one- 
half  pints  of  water,  then  add  one  quarter  of  an  ounce  of  salts  of  tartar.    Stain  the  work 
with  this  solution  while  it  is  hot.    Give  two  or  three  coats.    To  develop  the  grain  of  rose- 
wood, take  a  stiff  brush  and  streak  with  the  ebony  stain  previously  described,  using  a  piece 
of  rosewood  as  a  pattern  for  the  grain. 

8.  Rosewood.    Any  of  the  mahogany  stains  will  make  a  rosewood  stain  if  repeatedly 
applied.    If  stained  to  a  dark  mahogany  tone,  go  over  the  work  lightly  with  an  ebony  stain, 


72  WOOD  TURNING 

using  a  camel's-hair  brush.   Go  over  the  work  in  a  straggling,  haphazard  way,  which  is  pecu- 
liar to  the  grain  of  rosewood. 

9.    Cherry.    Any  of  the  mahogany  stains  will  make  a  cherry  stain  if  thinned. 
i  o.  Dark  oak.    Burnt  umber,  4  oz. ;  aqua  ammonia  sufficient  to  make  stiff  paste.    Thin 
until  the  desired  shade  is  obtained. 

11.  To  brighten  stains.    Nitric  acid,  \  oz. ;  hydrochloric  acid,  \  oz. ;  grain  tin,  \  oz. ;  rain 
water,  i  oz.    This  should  be  mixed  a  few  days  before  using. 

12.  A  beautiful  brown  is  obtained  on  white  wood  and  birch  by  using,  first,  extract  of 
logwood,  allowing  it  to  dry,  and  then  adding  a  coat  of  acetate  of  iron.    Rub  off  with  a  soft 
cloth  and  finish  with  wax. 

Recipe  for  refinishing  varnished  surfaces.  In  staining  and  finishing  woods  a  student  is 
liable  to  make  mistakes  in  the  color  wanted.  Many  times,  if  the  work  could  be  refinished, 
it  would  be  more  satisfactory  to  him. 

The  following  recipe  for  cleaning  off  varnish  and  filler,  and  bleaching  the  wood  to  its 
natural  color,  will  be  found  to  give  very  satisfactory  results : 

Clean  off  shellac  and  varnish  with  varnish  remover.  Varnish  remover  is  obtained  in 
the  open  market  from  dealers  in  paints  and  varnishes. 

After  the  surface  has  been  cleaned  of  varnish,  wash  it  off  with  a  strong  solution  of  caus- 
tic potash  or  lye ;  then  wash  off  with  clean  cold  water ;  then  wash  off  with  the  bleaching 
solution,  which  is  made  of  oxalic  acid,  —  a  strong  solution.  Let  this  dry  and  wipe  off  with  a 
damp  cloth,  when  the  surface  will  be  ready  to  stain  and  finish  in  any  desirable  way. 

Another  solution  which  will  remove  varnish  and  may  be  made  by  the  student  with  little 
difficulty  is  prepared  in  the  following  way :  Mix  together  equal  parts  of  soap  powder  or 
Gold  Dust  and  caustic  soda,  add  to  this  about  one  quarter  as  much  ammonia  as  there  is 
powder,  then  add  water  enough  to  dissolve  the  powder.  Apply  to  the  varnished  surface 
with  a  cloth ;  wipe  off  the  old  varnish  with  burlap  or  excelsior  and  finish  wiping  with  a 
clean  cloth.  (The  hands  should  be  protected.)  Bleach  the  surface  with  the  oxalic  acid 
solution.  Stain  and  finish  in  any  desirable  way. 

A  method  of  decorating  work  with  designs  on  light-colored  woods.  Draw  the  desired 
design  on  the  work.  Shellac  the  design,  being  careful  to  keep  the  edges  sharp.  Give  two 
or  three  coats,  and  after  each,  smooth  the  surface  with  fine  sandpaper.  When  the  shellac 
has  thoroughly  hardened,  apply  a  coat  of  any  desired  dark  stain  to  the  whole  work ;  the 
design  will  stand  out  like  inlaid  work. 

Cement  wax  used  in  turning.  A  cement  used  in  turning,  to  hold  light  and  thin  pieces  on 
the  lathe,  is  made  as  follows :  resin,  i  oz. ;  pitch,  2  oz. ;  red  ocher,  finely  powdered.  Melt 
the  resin  and  pitch  together,  and,  while  boiling,  add  the  ocher.  Use  enough  of  the  ocher 
to  make  the  cement  of  the  proper  consistency ;  a  little  tallow  is  sometimes  added  to  this. 


APPENDIX  73 

By  applying  this  cement  to  a  chuck  and  heating  it,  a  thin  piece  of  wood  can  be  held 
while  being  turned  on  the  lathe.  To  remove  the  piece  from  the  chuck,  tap  it  lightly  and  it 
will  come  off  with  little  trouble. 

Another  recipe  for  cement  wax  is :  resin,  i  Ib. ;  pitch,  4  oz.  Melt  together,  and,  while 
boiling,  add  brick  dust ;  test  it  by  dropping  a  little  on  a  flat  surface  until  it  is  found  to  be 
hard  enough ;  then  pour  it  into  water  and  make  up  into  rolls. 

Still  another  may  be  made  by  melting  equal  parts  of  resin  and  beeswax  together  and 
allowing  to  cool,  when  it  will  be  ready  for  use. 


INDEX 


Acetate  of  iron,  to  make,  70 
Adjusting  mechanism,  4 
Ammonia,  use  of  (see  Fuming), 

70 
Angle,  to  hold  skew,  20;  of  skew, 

14 

Aniline  stains,  71 
Approximate  center  of  stock, 

18 

Arms,  to  turn  for  towel  rail,  4 1 
Art  of  turning,  17 
Ash,  to  treat  for  brown,  69 
Attachments  for  split  work,  62 
Auxiliary  tools,  12 

Base,  for  candlestick,  28  ;  lamp, 

58 

Beads,  to  turn,  30 
Bed,  the  lathe,  6  - 
Bell  chuck,  4 
Bell-chuck  work,  36 
Belting,  6 
Bichromate  of   potash,   to  use, 

69 

Bit  brace,  13 
Black,  to  stain  in,  70 
Bleach,  surfaces  to,  72 
Bore,  for  handle  in  mallet,  26 
Bowl,  to  turn,  39 
Box,  powder,  52  ;  to  turn,  39 
Brown,  to  stain,  70 ;  oil  stain  for, 

70 
Burned,  tools,  21 

Calipers,  the,  16 
Candlestick,  to  turn,  27 
Card  receiver,  45 
Cement  wax,  72 
Center  marks,  21 
Chamois  skin,  69 
Chemicals  to  stain  with,  69 
Cherry  stain,  72 
Chisel,  the  skew,  14 
Chisel  handles,  22 
Chloride,  iron,  70 
Chuck  work,  to,  43 


Chucked,  to  be,  31 

Cloth,  to  use  in  polishing,  24 

Club,  police,  47  ;  Indian,  48 

Comparison  of  cutting  edges  of 
skew  and  knife,  20 

Compasses,  17 

Compound  swivel  rest,  9 

Concave  curves,  30 

Cone  of  lathe,  3 

Cone  pulley,  4 

Copperas,  solution  of,  67 

Cornstarch,  69 

Counter  cone  pulley  (see  Counter- 
shaft), 6 

Countershaft,  6 

Cup,  53 

Cut-off  tool,  1 6 

Cutting  concave  curves,  29 

Cutting  curves,  12 

Cylinder,  plain,  17 

Cylinder,  stepped,  22 

Dark  oak,  70-72 
Dark  shellac,  to  clear,  68 
Dead  center,  5-17 
Decoration,  method  of,  72 
Definition  of  templet,  28 
Diameter    and    revolutions    of 

pulleys,  7 
Diameters  of  pulleys,  rules  for 

finding,  7 

Diamond-point  tool,  5-17 
Directions  for  using  gouge,  18  ; 

for   using    skew    (see    Paring 

cut),  19 
Drill,  13 
Dumb-bell,  54 

Ebonize  wood,  to,  70 
Ends,  to  cut,  21 
Extension  bed  lathe,  12 

Face  off,  to,  30 
Face  plate,  4 

Filler,  light,  69 ;  mahogany,  70 ; 
to  color,  69 

75 


Fillers,  69 

Fillets,  35 

Final,  60 

Finish,  shellac,  31 

Finishing  wax,  67 

First  operations  in  turning,  18 

Frame,  picture,  51 

Friction,  to  hold  by,  31 

Fuming,  to  stain  by,  70 

Gap  lathe,  7 
Gauge,  to  make,  35 
Gavel,  55 

Gearing  of  the  lathe,  7 
Glossy  surface,  69 
Glove  darner,  59 
Glue,  to  use,  33 
Gouge,  13;  to  use,  18 
Greasy  surface  from  oil,  27 
Green  filler,  69 
Green,  solution  for,  69 
Grinding  tools,  13 
Grindstone,  speed  of,  13 

Hand  wheel,  6 

Handle,    to    fasten    in   mallet, 

Handles,  tool,  55 

Hangers,  3 

Headstock,  4 

Height  of  rest,  for  paring  cut, 

18;  for  scraping  cut,  18 
Hollow  work    (see  Bell  chuck), 

36 

Hollow  spindle,  4 
Hollows,  62 
Hot  box;  4 
Hub,  33 

Inside  calipers,  16 
Iron  chloride,  70 

Japan  drier,  69 

Knife  edge  compared  with  skew- 
chisel  edge,  20 


76 


WOOD  TURNING 


Lateral  motion,  4 

Lathe  tools,  12 

Line  shaft,  6 ;  revolutions  of,  6 

Live  center,  4 

Live-center  end,  17 

Live  spindle,  4 

Logwood,  solution  of,  70 

Loose  pulley,  6 

Mahogany  filler,  to  make,  62 

Mahogany,  to  age,  69 

Mallet,  to  turn,  34 ;  to  work  out, 


t  head,  to  lay  out  for  hole, 


Malle 


35 


Measuring  tools,  12 

Method,  of  grinding,  13;  of 
holding  skew,  20 ;  of  mount- 
ing work  for  face-plate  turn- 
ing, 28 

Moldings,  miscellaneous,  62 

Mordant,  67 

Motion  of  chisel,  to  cut  ends,  21 

Motor  head  lathes,  7 

Motor-driven  lathe,  1 1 

Mounting  work  for  center  turn- 


Names  of  pieces  to  design,  46 

Number  of  revolutions,  of  line 

shaft,  6;  of  grindstone,  13 

Oak,  to  darken,  70 

Obtuse  angle,  16 

Oil  cups,  4 

Oil  stain,  for  brown,  70 

Oil,  to  finish  with,  47 

Oil,  to,  4 

Oilstone,  17 

Old  mahogany,  to  stain  for,  70 

Ordinates,  to  turn  by,  48 

Outside  calipers,  16 

Overhanging  spindle,  8 

Paper,  to  mount  work  with,  39 
Paring  cut,  19 
Parted  work,  to  turn,  50 
Parting  tool,  1 6 


Patterns,  methods  used  in  turn- 

Silex, 69 

ing,  33 

Sizes,  of  chisels  and  gouges,  16; 

Plate,  to  turn,  50 

of  driving  pulleys,  7 

Polish  with  shellac,  24 

Sizing,  24 

Pores,  to  seal,  68 

Sizing  tool,  16 

Position,  of  the  body,  19  ;  of  the 

Skew  chisel,  to  hold,  19 

hands,   19;   of  the   chisel  on 

Skewed,  14 

grindstone,  15 

Slide  rest,  9 

Powdered  chalk,  69 

Slip  stone,  17  ;  sharpening  with, 

Primitive  lathes,  1-3 

14 

Projects  selected,  48 

Smeary  surface  from  shellac,  27 

Pumice  stone,  powdered,  69 

Smoker  set,  40 

Soft  silk,  to  polish  with,  69 

Quarter-inch  skew  chisel,  28 

Speed  lathe,  the,  3-7 

Speed  of  grindstone,  13 

Raw  sienna,  69 

Spindle,    tail    stock,    5.  ;    head 

Ready-to-use  fillers,  69 

stock,  4 

Receiver,  card,  45 

Split  work,  methods  for,  60  ;  at- 

Recipe   for   removing    varnish, 

tachments  for  turning,  62 

72 

Square-nose  scraping  tool,  15 

Recipes,  miscellaneous,  71 

Removing  work  from  face  plate, 

Tabulated  drawing,  34 

4i 

T    1  stock,  4 

Rings,  napkin,  36  ;  to  turn,  42  ; 

T  nnic  acid,  69 

towel,  56 

T  mper,  draw,  21 

Rod,  4 

T  mplet,  for  chisel  handle,  25  ; 

Rolling  pin,  to  turn,  43 

o  make,  30 

Rosewood,  stain  for,  7  1 

Templets,  to  apply,  32-33 

Rotten  stone,  69 

Tight  pulley,  7 

Roughing  down,  18 

Tool  rest,  6 

Round-nose  scraping  tool,  1  5 

Tools  used  in  turning,  4-12 

Rubbing  a  surface,  69 

Rule,  measuring,  16 

Umber,  burnt,  70 

Rules  for  speed  of  grindstone, 

Using  the  gouge,  18 

13 

Sandpaper,  to  use,  23 
Scraping   cut,    19;    instructions 

for,  18;  to  set  rest  for,  26 
Screw-center  chuck,  4 
Screw-chuck  turning,  26 
Screw  holes,  to  eliminate,  41 
Section  (see  Ring),  43 
Self-contained  lathe,  7 
Sharpening  gouge,  14 
Sharpening  tools,  12 
Sharpening  the  skew,  15 
Shifter,  3-7 


Varnish,  to  finish  with,  68 
Varnished  surfaces,  to  refinish, 

72 
Vase,  57 

Walls,  thickness  of,  28 

Walnut,  stain  for,  71 

Wax,    adhesive,    72;    finishing, 

67;    to   apply,    31  ;    to   make 

finishing,  67 
Whitewood,  to  stain  brown,  67  ; 

to  treat  for  brown,  69 
Whiting,  69 


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